The Legend of the White Wolf
by Masseffect-TxS
Summary: "I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" – Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.
1. Chapter I: Into the Black Forest

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" – Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N: In this, Jaune and his friends are taken on a field trip close to a heavily fortified base, near a forest riddled with Grimm. Set two months before the second semester and before the Vytal Festival. An accident separates Jaune from his friends as he is left alone in the dark woods. Now, he has to survive against all odds, make his way back to Beacon while uncovering a conspiracy that threatens to destroy Beacon and all his friends.**

 **But the only way to do that is to summon a new power that mankind has only thought the Snow could achieve…and possess the will to survive.**

 **This story was inspired by 'Returning from the Wilds' by Martvill. With permission, of course, along with the idea of power from Imyoshi 'Silver' story. Takes place a few weeks after 'Stray' of Season 1 and will be altered from Season 2.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter I – Into the Black Forest

* * *

"…I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night…"

"Whoa! …What does that mean, Grandpa?" an old voice chuckled as a semi-older man with light blond hair looked down at a bright-eyed youth and smiled at the child on his lap.

"Well, that is something you need to figure out on your own, Jaune. They are words that were told to me long ago that kept me alive through many trials and ordeals that I have faced in my life. A simple saying my father told me when I was your age, back when our family was a brave Huntsman and Huntresses clan. I never understood them myself until I was a little older. But because of those words, I powered through every fight, and I made it home every time,"

"Whoa! That's amazing Grandpa! You must be super strong!" the child said with eyes wide and awed expressions.

"I wouldn't say that I'm just a man like everyone else…But a little bit stronger," he said as the child giggled.

"But Jaune, you have to know that one day I won't make it back, and we'll never see each other again, don't you?" he asked as the child's face slowly took a solemn look as his eyes became downcast and his head held low.

"But that doesn't mean I'll go just yet. I've still got to watch you grow up to be a Great Huntsman after all," He looked back up as the man placed a hand on his shoulder.

"But If ever you are lost and you feel the world is closing in around you, remember these words and you'll be just fine," the man said as the child smiled widely at him.

"Father?" both turned to the voice as a tall blond-haired man and a brown-haired woman standing at the doorway. "What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you," the man said as the old man chuckled.

"What, I can't visit my own family?" he asked as he picked the boy up and placed him down on the floor before getting off the chair. "Besides, I was in the area and I decided to pop in, see how my grandson was doing. He's getting pretty big now, aren't you?" he asked as he ruffled the child's head who laughed.

"No, nothing like that father. It's just we usually don't see you for months on end. It was just a surprise is all,"

"Mum! Dad! Grandpa was just telling me a story about being a Huntsman and how strong he is!" the child said as the boy's mother looked at him.

"Did he now?" his mother asked as she kneeled down to the boy. "Was it a good one?" she asked as the child nodded.

"Yep! And one day, I'm going to be a Huntsman just like him!" he proclaimed expecting to see an excited look on his parent's face, only instead he saw a look he could not describe – One that he did not usually see on his parent's face. Both parents looked between themselves as the mood in the living room become rather cold.

"…Sweetie, can you go upstairs and get ready for bed? Your father and I just need to have a word with Grandpa, okay?"

Jaune looked confused as he turned to his grandfather, hoping he could fill in the blanks about his parent's strange behaviour. But the man only seemed to shake his head and gestured him to the stairway as he reluctantly left the living room. Halfway up the stair s however, curiosity got the best of him as he snuck his way back down and listened from the stairway.

"What the hell are you doing!?" the anger in his father's voice frightened him as he poked his head through the railing. "Putting into our son's head a ludicrous fantasy that he could be a huntsman!? What were you thinking!? We talked about this, he is not going to be a huntsman, that was final!" he yelled as his voice resonated from the living room.

"I've put nothing in his head! This is what he wants to do! It's his choice to make!"

"Oh, so it had nothing to do with those stories of your youth?! Cornelius, he's a _child_ , of course, he is going to get ideas from stories like that! It's not safe for him!" his mother's voice followed after as he looked between the stairway as his parents and grandfather were arguing.

"So, what if my stories inspired him? He really enjoys them and wants to be a Huntsman, big deal. Why is Jaune wanting to be a huntsman so bad? I reckon he could be a great huntsman if he had the chance. It's not too late to train him," his father just shook his head as he crossed his arms.

"We don't want Jaune to him to follow in our family's old footsteps. That life is over for us, he's going to work on the farms or here at the tavern and stay away from anything to do with Huntsman's, it's safer for him."

The old man chuckled as could not believe what his son was saying.

"Safer? There are literal beasts of darkness out in the world, and many settlements have already fallen to the Grimm because they were not prepared. When I was his age my father taught me how to fight to keep safe. And in this world, it's a never-ending fight for survival. Do you want your children to end up like them?"

"But this isn't your time father! Back then grandfather trained you in case the War ever spread to here - Which it never did! But that time has long since passed and it's the time for our children to live a normal life. Away from the death and chaos that comes with being a Huntsman. We've lost too many of our family to the Grimm, I will not expose that type of life to any of my children!" Cornelius sighed as he shook his head.

"…Son…I know I have no right to tell you how to raise your children. But you're making a mistake denying Jaune his dream. He _wants_ to be a Huntsman, he _wants_ to be a _Warrior_ like his ancestors. Why can't you allow him that same freedom I once gave to you… don't you believe in your own son?" his father grew silent as he and everyone else waited for his answer.

"…It's getting late, dad…you should go home"

Cornelius stared at his son as he shook his head and grabbed his bag from the couch and walked past the two parents – who dared not look at him out of shame. He made his way to the front door but stopped just as he was about to leave and turned his head back as he spoke these final words.

"…One of these days, something terrible will happen to him, and you'll wish you had done _everything_ you could to prepare him…I just pray that day never comes..."

The door closed quietly as the parents were left in silence as they sat on the couch and digested the man's words, as the final image Jaune ever saw of him was an engraving on the side of his armour, as he watched the door close quietly.

But while they quarrelled with their own thoughts and decisions. Young Jaune hid behind the door to his bedroom as he held his legs close to his chest. Small tears streaking down his face as he tried to stop himself from crying, least his parents hear him, and tried to reign in the many emotions that swelled in his heart.

"Jaune?" the child looked up as he heard a strange voice. "Jaune?" everything turned black as the child found himself alone in the darkness.

"Jaune?" he was replaced with his older body and gear as he continued to search the darkness for the voice. "Jaune?" the floor beneath him cracked and splintered before he fell into a pit of Darkness.

"Jaune!?" The last thing he saw was a strange image of a White Wolf as it stared into him before a bright light blinded his sight

"Jaune!"

* * *

A sudden jerk caused a blue-eyed teen to open his eyes as he shot up and breathed in gasped. He looked around as he noticed the rest of his team and Team RWBY. Ren and Nora were seated to the far right of the aircraft – Nora looking out the window in childlike glee, while Ren sat next to her reading a book.

To the left were his friends of Team RWBY. Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long. Yang instantly noticed him as a grin appeared on her face.

"Hey, look who's back from the Dead!" Yang said as the boy looked to her. "Sleep well, Vomit boy?" she asked as Jaune sighed while rubbing the sand from his eyes.

"Are you _ever_ going to stop calling me _that_?"

"Are you ever going to _not_ be sick on Airships?" she said as Jaune stared then begrudgingly shook his head as his stomach churned slightly. "Then no, no I will not." She said with a smirk while Jaune just rolled his eyes at the party girl and leaned back in his seat. Pyrrha coming up beside him as she sat next to her leader.

"Jaune?" he looked over to his left as he was met with the image of a red hair girl with emerald coloured eyes and a concerned look on her face as she stared at the boy. "Are you all right? You looked like you were troubled, is everything all right?"

"I'm fine. Just had a bad dream, that's all…where are we?" he asked he looked around and noticed they were not in their dormitories back at Beacon.

"Don't you remember? We're headed Far East of Sanus as part of our class assignment to visit one of the main Bases that Huntsman uses to protect the Kingdom and learn about its history in Oobleck's class," she explained as Jaune nodded.

"Oh, yeah…sorry, I don't do so well on flights,"

"It's all right Jaune. But do you want to talk about your dream? It looked pretty painful for you," she asked as the boy shook his head.

"No, it was nothing, don't worry I'll be fine." He looked out the window while his partner just sighed.

"You sure you're okay Jaune, you don't look so well?" Ruby – the leader of team RWBY – asked as she noticed the boy's rather tired expression and dark rings under his eyes. "You're not going to actually vomit…are you?" she asked as she and everyone else slowly raised their feet off the ground.

"No, I'm not going to vomit – so you can put your feet down."

"If you do feel the urge to empty your stomach contents, please do it away from me," Weiss said as she sat furthest away from the boy as he nodded.

"Sure, thing Snow Angel," he said as she rolled her eyes at him for the nickname. "Hey, Weiss, I was also wondering. Since the Dance is only a few months away, I was wondering if you'd-"

"No," he hung his head as Pyrrha patted him on the back for support, while Yang chuckled at the boy's expense.

"Anyway, does anyone know anything about this base we're headed to?"

"The base is called 'The Edge' an old fortress built as sort of an 'Outpost' for any Huntsman and Huntresses that roam the continent six years ago," Blake said as Jaune turned to the Faunus girl who looked up from her book. "It's usually their job to protect the border of Saunas and vale from any large-scale Grimm attack."

"That is correct, Miss Belladonna." A voice said as they all turned to see Professor Goodwitch and Doctor Oobleck exiting the cockpit.

"Though the Fort's original purpose is to hold back the Grimm in this particular valley – where the Grimm are unusually stronger in this region – it originally was used as a base during the Great War. It is currently led by the _Iron Wolves_ , a band of Former Huntsman and Soldiers that have agreed to protect the Settlements in this Region beyond the Kingdom of Vale in exchange for payment. And so far, they have not disappointed." Oobleck said as he looked out to the large forest and cliffs of Sanus.

"In any case students. We are about to land at the Keep, make sure to keep your scrolls on you at all times and _do not_ wander off like last time. I'm referring to you two Mister Arc and Winchester, we cannot have another incident like the Forever Falls." She stated as Cardin in the back scoffed while Jaune blushed in embarrassment but nodded his head all the same.

"We're here" everyone gathered at the windows and gazed in awe at the large stone fortress that came before them.

Situated on a large cliff looking over a large mountain-walled valley – close to a cascading waterfall – stood a large fortress of stone and steel. The architecture was similar to that of Ancient Remnant Castles from Ruby's fairy tales. Complete with large stone walls, heavy metal gates and banners of a blue flying high in the sky.

The only signs of modern improvements were the machine gun turrets and communications equipment integrated into the castle.

The shuttle was soon directed to a large landing platform just outside the keep. The ramp descended as Goodwitch turned to her students.

"Now remember, we are guests here. Be on your best behaviours and obey all their rules. Am I understood?"

The students nodded as a small squad of soldiers stood in attention to meet them. The men and women were all dressed in a dark grey military-like clothing with a lighter shade of grey armour plating that protected their chest, arms and legs. One of them was a large man with dark grey hair, a full beard and piercing blue eyes as his entire body language seemed to radiate with authority and respect. But the thing that drew Jaune's attention the most was that each and every one of them had a stylised symbol engraved somewhere on their armours.

A Symbol of a White Wolf's head facing towards them while circled with a Chain of Iron in its teeth. A symbol of the Iron Wolves.

A symbol he could have sworn to have seen years ago…

"Welcome students of Beacon Academy to The Edge." He was cut off from his thought as the large man smiled and bowed to the students.

"My name is Griswald Reinhold – the current Captain of this Fortress and leader of the Iron Wolves – we are very honoured to have you among us." The teachers and students bowed as they tried to show the same respect.

"A pleasure to meet you, Captain Reinhold. We cannot thank you enough in allowing us to visit your fortress. Be assured that Beacon will be providing you with proper compensation for your hospitality," Glynda greeted as the man nodded.

"Thank you for the kind contribution, but just knowing that this experience will help progress these children's knowledge is more than payment enough for this old man." He gestured to his left as a man with dark red hair walked towards them. "Gilroy show these kids around the fortress. I have some business I need to discuss with the teachers,"

"Aye Captain. All right, come along kiddies, we have much of the ground to explore before it gets dark."

"Why, what happens when it gets Dark?" Ruby asked as the man turned to her.

"Darkness is when the Grimm are at their strongest, Little Red. It's always best to be behind safe walls when the moon is out." he gestured everyone to follow him. "Especially if you don't want to end up in _there…_ "

A simple gesture was all it took for the class to turn their heads as their eyes widened at the large scale of black, they had ever seen.

Looking out at the valley below the students were used to seeing a Vale of Green that shrouded the forest near their school. But here it was only a partial patch of Emerald Green. Further out – and far from the fort – stood a towering visage of black and dead woods. A large section of forest with trees as black as night and branches likes skeletal hands reaching for the sky. A sight that was unsettling for Jaune.

"W-What is that?" Ruby asked as Gilroy looked to the forest.

"That…is the _Black Forest..._ It's the only place in Remnant where you will find the highest concentration of Grimm anywhere. A place so dark, that no huntsman has ever made it out alive..." the others looked nervous as they stared into the blackened forest that sent dread and fear into their souls.

"But you have nothing to worry about," Gilroy said as he patted the stone walls of the fort.

"So long as you stay inside the Fort and don't go wandering out at night, you should be fine. Now, on with the tour!" he said as he led the students to explore the facility. All the while Jaune stared into the forest as he felt a strange presence within its shade.

Something…cold.

It took them a few hours, but the class had managed to walk around the fortress and marvel at all the history and lessons that were engraved upon the stones. They had met many of the fellow Huntsman that were stationed here, and Jaune managed to learn a few of their names.

Like their guide – Gilroy Longas – the Forts second in command.

From what Jaune could learn, he was a former student from Vacuo's Huntsman Academy but was kicked out due to his inability to follow a superior's orders. The only reason he seemed to listen to the Captain of the Iron Wolves was that the man proved to him that he was worthy to follow – and because the old man smacked some manners into his head.

It seemed he respected a man who could prove his words with actions.

Gaius was a rather handsome looking man with a former career as a diplomate and huntsman from Mistral. The way he spoke to others and the way they listened to him, Jaune could tell that he has had experience acting as a representative for the Mistralian Kingdom.

While Ishida, on the other hand, seemed to be more serious and focused and other glared at the children, like he didn't want any of them here. Especially the way he glared at Weiss while drawing his hood further over his head.

While all he could learn about Reinhold was that he was a former Captain in the Atlas Military and chose to leave for reasons unknown. It was obvious that those at the Fort who knew him, knew his true reasons to leave – but chose not to disclose them to outsiders – showing the kind of devotion and pact this band of men had with each other.

"And over here we have the Main Communications hub, where we have a signal booster to amplify the signal between here and Vale if we ever need support," Gilroy said as he led them around the base.

"Why do you need a signal booster? Don't you have access to the CCT like everyone else?" Weiss asked as the man chuckled.

"Yes, we do. But the CCT is only good in the Major Kingdoms and the settlements around them. Locations like these find it a _little_ harder to get a clearer signal so we need signal boosters and short-range communicators to notify our forces around the Settlements and base. It was the Former Captains idea after all,"

"I'm glad to see the tour is going well." A voice said as they turned to see the Captain walk towards them.

"I hope my students haven't given you too much trouble? Especially the rowdier ones," Glynda asked as the red-haired man grinned.

"Nah, the day a bunch of kids give me trouble, is the day I eat my own hat,"

"...You don't have a hat," one of the guards said as a cross expression grew on the man's face.

"It's an expression Gerald!" he snarled as the others laughed at his expense.

"Tsk! I don't know why we have to cater to a bunch of kids, it's a waste of our time." One man, in particular, said – who was dressed in dark clothing and a hood covering his head – as the other members stared at him.

"Oh, don't be like that Ishida, we're just trying to teach the kids what it's like on the front lines. They're going to be out here eventually." Gilroy said as he turned to Weiss and seemed to subtly glare at her.

"Like _any_ of them know what it's like out here," he said as he glared at the students.

"Now, now, let's all be friendly here." Gaius interrupted as he stood between Gilroy and Ishida.

"We have guests – children – after all, we can't have them seeing us behaving in such a poor manner, can we? It would set a bad example for the children, wouldn't you agree?" he said as Ishida growled.

"Do whatever you want, I'm going to check on our ammunition," he said before departing as Reinhold just sighed.

"Thank you, Gaius, for stopping it from escalating." He said as the man smiled and nodded. "Other than Ishida's usual pouts, I'm glad things are going well," Reinhold said as he turned to the group. To which they nodded as the man smiled in relief.

"We have an hour before you Shuttles are ready to leave, feel free to wander the base until them. But please stay within the confines of the base. It will be dark soon, and that is usually when we get bandit attacks and the last thing, we need is students wandering off."

After he said that he allowed the class to wander the Fort as some took part in their firing range – Something Nora took an extreme liking to as she decimated the targets with her Grenade Launcher – as everyone broke off to explore the fort. Ruby was the first to go around asking every single person what their weapon could do – of course – all the while having big stars in her eyes.

While those like Ren, Blake, Pyrrha and Weiss listened in the fascination of the Fortresses history and many battles that had scarred their walls.

Jaune, on the other hand, felt something nagging at him as he continuously looked upon the symbol of the Wolf Head branded on their armour and their weapons. Something that he just couldn't remember – or had repressed – and it was driving him crazy.

But, he tried not to let it bother him as he tried to initially distract himself by asking Weiss out again – only to be rejected – as the strange feeling of the forest still lingered in the air.

He decided to climb up to the walls and look out over the large forest that rested at the bottom of the valley. Hoping the fresh air will clear his head.

Looking out Jaune over the valley he had always known that Sanus was a largely mountainous and shallow water continent – the few natural defences that mankind had against the Grimm – but was also well known for its beautiful forests. With trees like an emerald sea of leaves and branches with a winding river that spread out across the forest floors like the Emerald Forest back at Beacon, almost reminded him of his home in Arc town.

But this Forest was anything like the forests he had seen before.

Something about it felt…Wrong?

The Black Forest radiated with this presence that made Jaune sick to his stomach. Like a heavy pressure was weighing down on him the more he stared at the forest. It was like it shouldn't even exist on this earth – yet there it was right there in front of him. And that just made him feel even worse, what was this place? And why did it unsettle him so?

"It's unsettling, isn't it?"

He spun around to see Reinhold standing behind him, as the elderly man looked out at the forest and then at the boy. "Looking at that Forest makes you feel like it shouldn't belong there, huh?" Jaune only nodded as the man nodded.

"I understand kid, no matter how many years I've spent here it still gives me the creeps." He said as Jaune turned back to the forest.

"What exactly is that place? How can it be here?"

"I honestly don't know, kid. Legends say that this was once a beautiful forest, with trees the lushest of green and home to magical creatures like those from the old fairy tales. There was also said to have species of animals that have long since been extinct. But a battle against an Ancient Grimm soaked the land in its blood and turned it into the Forest you see today…" Jaune stared out at the forest as he absorbed all that the man had said. Only for the man to shrug his shoulders as he leaned on the wall.

"But that's just what the locals reckon, all I know is that this forest has been here ever since humanity first held a sword – and I have no doubt it will be here long after we are gone. Also, Grimm don't bleed. But it is our duty to guard this place and make sure none of the Grimm makes it down to the settlements at the base of the Mountains." He gestured to the mountains as he folded his arms.

"That's what all of us signed up for after all," Jaune looked down as he thought for a moment.

"…But doesn't it get hard for you? I mean, have you ever doubted yourself – Thinking that maybe you're not cut out for this type of work? What do you do then?"

The man pondered this as he placed a hand on his chin and stroked his beard. "…I'll admit there have been times where I too wanted to give up. But because of something I heard from an old friend a long time, I've always found the courage to keep going. Would you like to hear it?" he asked as Jaune nodded.

"…I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will Summon the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to forge my way through Demons and Blights…"

"-To make my way home from Darkness this Night." Jaune instinctively finished as his eyes widened at those words, while Griswald turned to him with a small amount of shock.

"What? How do you know that verse?" he asked as Jaune blinked.

"Those were the words my Grandfather used to tell me when I was a kid, how do you know them?"

"Grandfather? Wait…would your grandfathers by any chance have been Cornelius Arc?" the boy nodded as the man just stared at him and then suddenly chuckled as he shook his head.

"Jaune Arc, I should have known. Of course, you're his grandson, I should have guessed from the hair colour." the man said as he nodded.

"You knew my grandfather?"

"Yes, I knew your grandfather kid. He was my best friend and a former commander of the Iron Wolves." Eyes widened as Jaune pointed at the man.

"W-Wait, member? Grandpa, _My_ _Grandfather_ was a _member_ of the Iron Wolves!? Wait he was the commander!?" the man nodded as he leaned on the wall.

"Yes, your grandfather and I joined this small company a little over forty years ago, back when we were younger and stronger mind you and when your family still had Kaer Arc under your control." Jaune nodded remembering stories of his family's ancestral home that was overrun by Grimm.

He truly wished he could see such a place in its prime.

"It was originally formed by your great-great-grandfather after the Great War, a collection of former soldiers and Huntsman to go where we were needed. Kaer Arc was our home and base of operations. We protected the people, caught the bad guys' and kept the peace – you know the usual stuff. But after the fall of Kaer Arc, we became more like mercenaries and set off to protect the world unhampered by the politics and rules set by the Kingdoms. Sure, we take the occasional contract from them here and there, but we protected a lot of people and saved many lives…" he said fondly as he drifted off into memory.

"So, if he was a part of the Iron Wolves, that means you knew him pretty well, huh?" he asked as the man nodded.

"Yes, I did, he was one of my closest friends and someone I could rely on. I was his second in command and his closest advisor while he was our commander. He led us for many years until…until he died. I'm sorry." He said as the boy nodded.

"It's okay, it was ten years ago anyway. Can you tell me how he died? Mum and Dad don't tell how, and I really want to know?" Griswald sighed as he held his head up high.

"He was on a seek and destroy mission east of Mistral, with another man from Beacon named Port. But the mission went south when the Grimm made a beeline for a small settlement…he died protecting our group and that of the Civilians from the Grimm. He held them off long enough for us to evacuate. From what Gaius told me, he fought until the last of them made it to the airships…we never recovered the body…I'm sorry, kid." he said as Jaune shook his head.

"Don't be…he always said that he would eventually leave this world one day and that I should be prepared for it."

"That must have been hard for you, he spoke about you and his grandchildren a lot. He was very proud of you." Jaune didn't respond as he just looked out at the forest.

He wondered though, what his grandfather would have thought about him getting into Beacon the way he did. Would he have been proud? Angry? Disappointed? He couldn't rightfully say. He just hoped that wherever he was, he was looking out for him and believing in him like he used to. Which begged the question.

"Mister Reinhold?"

"Call me Griswald, kid"

"Right, sorry. Griswald, did you ever decipher what his quote meant? Because for the life of me I still can't figure it out." He asked as the old man pondered.

"Hmm…well to me, it helps guide my actions and teach me how I should lead my men." Jaune raised an eyebrow as he hoped the man would explain.

"See, the man who told your grandfather said that the verse had different meanings to each individual. Each man must determine their own meaning, in order to understand themselves," he explained as he reached into his pouch and pulled out a wolf-headed badge.

"To me, it means that I should never fear the Darkness, nor should I take it for granted. That I should use all of my strengths and all of my abilities to keep the people under my watch safe. And that no matter what comes my way I should never give up and keep on fighting. Only then would I be safe…" he held the small metal symbol on his hand as Jaune pondered this and looked at the symbol of the Wolf holding a chain of Iron in its teeth.

"But that's just my interpretation. It all really depends on how you interpret it. Which reminds me, your Grandfather left something to be delivered to you. I've been so busy with the fort I never got the chance to send it," he said as he was reminded of something from his late friend.

"Grandpa left me something?"

"He did, he said that it would help you on your path to becoming a Huntsman. We still have some time until your shuttle is ready. But it was good meeting you kid, and I hope with it you'll find your answer to…" he slowly trailed off as he stared at the forest.

"Reinhold?" the old man narrowed his eyes as he held up his hand and silenced the boy.

"Listen…" he told the boy, who only looked confused as he scanned the forest trying to find whatever it was that was putting the old man on the edge, "…Do you hear that?" he asked as Jaune could hear was silence.

"Something's not right, we need you to get you, kids, out of here as fast as-!" suddenly a loud roar echoed as everyone at the base looked to the skies.

Eyes widened in terror as a large Nevermore soared above the sky, followed closely behind several smaller brethren in its wake.

"GRIMM! BATTLE STATIONS, NOW!" Reinhold yelled as his men quickly scrambled for their equipment.

Several large feathers began to descend at a rapid pace as Griswald turned to the fort. "Brace yourselves!" he yelled as grabbed the back of Jaune's hoodie and pulled him to the floor – just as the large feathers struck the stone and steel.

After the barrage, the man stood up as he turned to his men, "I need gunners on this wall, right now! And why aren't one of the turrets firing back!?" he yelled as the men and women took up arms for the impending assault.

"Sir! One of the turrets is not responding! We're sitting ducks here!"

"Damn it! Get a repair team on it now! We can't afford to have one gun offline, not with this many Grimm!" he commanded as the soldier ran to fetch the repair team. While Goodwitch came running out as the man jumped down from the wall, Jaune following behind as he met up with the teacher and his friends.

"Captain Reinhold, what's the situation, why are the Grimm attacking the base!?" Glynda demanded as he turned to her.

"Honestly Miss Goodwitch, your guess is as good as mine. The sensors should have warned us of any Grimm Activity, but they didn't!" he turned to the com tower as a dark thought entered his mind. "But that can wait, right now we to defend this fort. And with one of the turrets offline, we're going to be expecting a lot of company soon. We are going to need you and your students to help defend this position," Glynda and Oobleck were shocked, but understood the situation quickly.

In this world, everyone had to fight, no matter the age. They knew this better than most.

"Understood, students! From this point on you are taking orders from Captain Reinhold! We have to defend this fort until it is time to make it back to the shuttles!" she looked to Ruby, Cardin and Jaune as the three leaders looked to her.

"Team Leaders, this is your first true taste of combat, protect your team and lead them well!" she ordered as Ruby and Cardin nodded, while Jaune looked hesitant at leading his team in actual combat.

That was until a hand was placed on his shoulder and he got a supportive nod from Pyrrha. He felt his fear subside as he was glad to have someone as supportive as Pyrrha by his side. Otherwise, he felt he would have quit long ago.

"All right kids, listen up!" Reinhold yelled as they snapped to attention. "Normally I wouldn't even think about having children fighting on the front line so soon, but given the circumstance, I've no choice but to have all of you take up arms against these beasts! It is not going to be easy, but you were all admitted into Beacon Academy for a _reason_ and I'm sure you won't disappoint!" he then pointed to the top of the wall.

"I need all those with long-range firearms up on that rooftop there, we need to keep those flying bastards away from our men on the ground! While that happens, those with short-range and close-quarters weaponry will be in the courtyard fighting off any runners that come at us. Which means the two-red head's and the orange-haired girl will be up on the wall providing cover fire. While the Heiress will support my men with her glyphs, you can do that right?" he asked the four as Ruby, Pyrrha and Weiss nodded while Nora groaned at not being on the ground team.

"Which mean the rest of you will be with me fighting off any stragglers that try to climb the walls. The Grimm usually attack in two stages, aerial and ground – they do it in order to divide our forces and weaken us – so follow my men's example and pick your targets. Don't try any heroics and keep your teammates alive, that's all the matters!" he ordered as they all nodded.

"Sir! More Grimm are climbing up the cliff! Looks like its Beewolves and Ursa's'!" One of the men yelled, even as machine-gun fire littered the air as the captain nodded.

"All right everyone! Let's show these beasts what Huntsman can really do!" With a mighty war cry, they raced into battle as the beasts of Darkness roared and charged at the fort of Mankind.

Ruby and Pyrrha doing their best to pick off the runners as Ruby's snapshot sniper skills and Pyrrha's rifle cracked like thunder as shot after shot impacted at any that came charging at them – along with the other members of the Iron Wolves – while Nora laughed as she lunched well-placed grenade shots into the air.

The explosions causing the Nevermore to avoid her shots – only to then be shot down by machine-gun fire from the forts remaining turret.

However, several Grimm managed to evade their fire as they climbed the walls and made their way into the courtyard.

"Attack!" Gilroy yelled as he and the others ran towards them.

Metal clashed with bone as Gilroy's massive sword cut and cleaved any that stood in his path.

Weiss doing the best she could as she augmented their strengths while weakening their enemies. Yang stood beside her as she blasted any that got too close with a powerful fist to the face – fire and smoke littering the air as the brawler unleashed her fire.

While further away, Cardin and his team were battling against a large Ursa as the team was determined this time not to be saved by someone else. Cardin sending a wave of fire at the beast – disorienting the beast long enough for Sky and Dove to shove their sword and spear into its side.

While Russel managed to stab the beast in its eyes with his daggers, followed by Cardin smashing its head with his mace.

"…Okay, one down…about two hundred more to go," Russel managed to wheeze out as he rested on his knees.

But In that one moment, he rested a Beowulf lunged over the wall and pounced upon the Mohawked boy. Only to be cleaved in half by Gilroy as his large sword was encased in flames. Russell – who had fallen on his ass – looked up as the red-haired man grinned at him.

"Hey! This isn't over lads! Keep your heads in the game!" Gilroy yelled as hefted the sword on his shoulder. "We still got more beasties to kill!" he gave a heroic war cry as he rushed towards the beasts. His sword-swinging and clashing against their bones as Team CRDL just stared at the man.

"…that was pretty bad-ass" Russell only said as they nodded.

While further away from them, Ren and Blake were zipping around the battlefield. Blake using her semblance to phase out of the way of attacks and slicing their back open. While Ren disappeared from their senses only to reappear with bellies full of dust. The silent pair nodded to each other as they continued to provide support for the men and women of the Iron Wolves.

Ishida cutting down any Grimm that stood in his path with his katana and attached chain.

Jaune had only just managed to block a strike from a Beowulf as the sharp claws clashed with the ivory steel of his shield. He bucked slightly under the weight as he tried to remember all the teaching Pyrrha gave him on shield training.

' _Feet firm focus on your centre of gravity and hold!'_ the beast slashed at his shield.

' _Wait for the right opportunity…'_ the beast raised its claws right claw high as it prepared to strike down the boy. _'Now!'_ he swung his sword as the blade slashed its arm clean off as the beast screamed. Only then to have its head slashed off as Jaune's blade cut through the beast of Darkness and spilt its smoke into the air.

"Yes!" he exclaimed only to be knocked away by an Ursa that bashed him into the side of the wall. "Ow!" he moaned as he tried to get back up.

His eyes widened as the Ursa came charging at him. He reached for his sword but found it far from him as he had to rely only on his shield alone to protect him. Luckily, he was saved as several rifle rounds buried themselves into its head and it came sliding over and stopping just at his feet.

He looked up expecting to see his partner but was surprised to see Reinhold as he held a sword/rifle in his hands.

"You all right kid," he asked as Jaune only nodded as he was hefted back to his feet.

"You're doing all right kid, but just remember…" He placed the sword in his hands. "Your _Weapon_ is your _Life_ , don't ever lose it," he told the boy as he turned around and fired several more rounds at the invading Grimm.

Jaune stared at the man than his own sword as he stared at his reflection before he nodded and got back into the fight.

The fighting felt like it was going on forever as wave after wave of Grimm continued to bombard the Fort. Jaune looking all around him as every second of the battle was ingrained into his memory.

Glynda was using her Semblance to push back the invading forces, while Oobleck did his best to protect the students under his watch.

Gilroy and Ishida were shoulders to shoulder as they shot and slashed at any of the monsters that dared to cross their path.

Yang was glowing like a shining star as she kicked her semblance into overdrive, while Weiss summoned walls of ice to shield her comrades from the hoard.

From the rooftop, he could see Ruby and Pyrrha as their rifles ignited and littered the air in smoke and light. Some managed to get on to the roof, but they were easily dispatched by Pyrrha as she moved majestically amongst the carnage of battle.

Ruby herself was like a rose petal drifting in the wind as the sound of mecha-shifting gears and explosive shots echoed amongst the battlefield. Her form seemingly disappearing and reappearing in a burst of roses as she sliced any monster that stood in her path.

Nora had long since got off the roof as she dived into the chaos and struck her hammer upon her enemies that resonated with the sound of thunder. Ren standing behind her as his weapons tore into the flesh of Grimm as he was determined to stand by his partner's side.

Every one of his friends showed a difference in strength and skill that Jaune knew he could never possess and brought a moment of doubt into the boy.

However, he couldn't focus on that as a large Beowulf descended upon him as he just managed to bring his shield up. The bone-like claws scratching and clawing at his shield as it took all of his strength to hold it back.

Recalling a memory of Pyrrha's training, he pushed the beast off with his shield then stabbed the monster in the face. The Beast falling limp as it fell to the floor as Jaune took the moment to catch his breath.

"They seem to be the coming in fewer waves now, good, that means they should be letting up soon." Reinhold turned to the students and teachers as he gestured to the airships. "You kids should head to the shuttles now, this will be your only chance to-!"

" **RAWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"**

All eyes turned to the front gate as the sound of metal bending and creaking caught their attention as the sound grew louder. The metal continued to bend and vibrate as everyone was put on edge.

The metal finally broke as a large gorilla-like Grimm – a Beringel – stormed into the fort and roared a terrifying howl.

Unlike regular Beringel, this one was far older and far larger than the usual sized ones that the older Huntsman had faced in the past. This one had multiple cuts and scars littering its body, spikes growing out of its fists and shoulders as the beast growled and roared at the occupants of the fortress.

"Open fire!" Reinhold yelled as everyone – soldiers and students alike –unloaded everything they had at the beast.

The Beringel didn't even register the bullets as it charged towards the fighters. Its fists slammed them into two soldiers, sending them flying through the air. Several shots rang out as they tried to take down the beast, only for their rounds to be deflected off its bone-like plating. Gilroy charged as his blade was ignited in flames.

"Take this! You ugly bastard!" he swung his sword as it clashed against the Beringer's arm.

The beast roared as it locked the blade between the gaps of its armour and threw the man away from it. Several arrows planted themselves into the creatures back as the arrows exploded. The beast roared as Ishida drew another Dust arrow from his Quiver and aimed at the beast.

"Don't go recklessly charging in you idiot!" he unleashed the arrow as it exploded in the monster's face.

"Aw~ you do care," Gilroy said as Ishida glared at him.

"Shut up and fight!" he yelled as his bow shifted into a katana like a sword and rushed at the Beast.

His blade covered in ice as Gilroy ran towards him with fire around his own. The two swung their blades and fired a blade of Ice and Fire at the creature. Causing the creature to disappear amongst the explosion and smoke.

"Ha! Take that you bastard!" Gilroy yelled, only for the Beringel to bat away the smoke and roared. "Oh no! he took it!" he was then slammed into a wall and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Gilroy!" Ishida yelled only to be grabbed by the Beringel and lifted into the air.

"You bastard!" he struggled to free himself, only for the beast to easily break his arm by squeezing the appendage. "ARGH!" he yelled as the Beringel seemed to grin at the man. But before he could kill the human, several rifle shots bounced off its bone plating as the Grimm turned to the Captain of the Fort who cocked back the bolt of his rifle.

"You two, get Gilroy and Ishida out of here! This creature is mine!" he ordered Jaune and Yang as he fired at the beast, luring it away from his men.

The Beringel roared as it charged at the elder man, who continued to fire at the creature. He ducked under its fist as he rolled behind the creature and shifted his rifle into a sword. The blade cut into the back of the creature as the creature roared and angrily swing its fists left and right in order to hit the man.

But the man was skilled as he kept avoiding the creature by staying within its blind spot.

While that was happening Jaune and Yang came over to grab the two men, as Jaune carried Gilroy while Yang carried Ishida. "Urgh, thanks kid," Gilroy said as Jaune pulled him unto his shoulder.

"Don't mention it, is Reinhold going to be okay?" he asked as the man nodded.

"Yeah, haven't known the old man to lose a fight yet" Jaune looked back as he nodded and pulled him to safety.

Reinhold ducked and weaved around the creature as his blade slashed and hacked at its exposed back and joints. Every strike of the blade cutting a little deeper into the monster as the creature screamed in pain and anger. The Beringel smashed and bashed at the old man – but was proving harder to hit with the man's unusual reaction speed.

This was in part to Reinhold Semblance – _Clairvoyance_ – which gave him the ability to clearly see his opponent's attacks and how to counter them.

It wasn't perfect as too much use of his Semblance would strain his eyesight. But right now, he had to use it to defeat this beast.

"This would be so much easier if I was twenty years younger!" he avoided another of the beast's fists and slashed his blade against its back, only infuriating the Beringel more.

His clairvoyance ran out as the beast took this time to strike and batted the man away. He would have finished him off too, had a wall of ice not separated him from the beast. Weiss looking momentarily triumphant, before it turned its attention on her. The beast roared as it bounded towards her, its massive form charging towards her as she prepared to summon another of her glyphs to protect her.

But the beast was too fast and too angry for her and slammed its arms into the ground and wrecking the courtyard and throwing her and many others off their feet.

She moaned in pain before as she held her now broken arm, as the beast had managed to harm her enough to bypass her aura. But before she could get her bearing's straight, her eyes widened in fear of the large shadow cast over her. The Beringel barring its fangs and raising its arms to crush the small heiress…

That was until a white Knight latched himself onto its back and drive his sword into the nook of its neck. The Beast roared in fury as it tried to shake the boy off its back, all the while Jaune merely held on for dear life.

The heiress starting up in slight daze and awe as the boy held on for dear life.

"Wiess! Go!" he yelled before the beast grabbed him and threw him straight through the wall of the fortress. His aura flickering as it managed to absorb the massive damage, he would have received had his aura not protected him.

He tumbled across the ground as his ears rung and his whole body ached all over. He looked up with blurry eyes as he was no closer to the cliff and the large waterfall that cascaded into it. He could hear a dull roar and frightened words screaming at him as his vision refocused and his eyes turned to the burning fortress.

His partner was up in the wall, screaming at him before she had to block an attacking Beowulf.

His gaze turned back to the hole he made and the large beast that lumbered through it. He sword roughly ripped out of the creature's neck and threw it away. The beast roared as it focused its gaze on the boy and charged at him.

Fear began to rise within his chest as he desperately looked around for something to use a weapon. But all he could find was rocks and more rocks. But with a raging beast charging towards you, options cannot be picky. Grabbing the stone, he flung it with all his might at the Grimm. And by either a chance of fate or dumb luck, it managed to it in the eye.

But even blinded the beast still charged and barrelled into him, sending both him and the beast over the edge.

Time seemed to move to a crawl as Jaune watched the fort stretch further and further from him. The stunned and horrified faces of his friends reaching out for him. None so more than his partner as she cried out to him while her hand glowed with a dark grey and he felt a tug at his armour.

But it was all in vain as he plummeted into the valley below.

"JAUNE!"

Pyrrha's cry echoing amongst the battlefield as she made a beeline towards the cliff. No Grimm could stand in her way as she either cut them down or bashed them out of the way while running to the cliffs. She kneeled by the edge as she searched for any sign of her partner.

But sadly, she found no trace of the boy as deep grief surged into her soul.

She could barely hear the sound of the Bullhead above her, or the cries of her friends as she just stared dimly at the valley below. She barely even registered a harsh tug on her shoulder as the commander of the fort pulled her to her feet.

Words came out of his mouth, but she couldn't understand them as the world had gone strangely deaf.

"You…ge…out…ere…ow!" she blinked as the world slowly resumed.

"You have to get out of here now!" Reinhold yelled as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Come on! Get to the Bullhead!" he yelled over the large explosions and engines as he dragged her numb feet from the edge.

Instantly she felt control return to her body as she tried to escape his. "N-No! We have to go back for Jaune!" she struggled as she tried to make a run for the cliffs.

"He's gone! There's nothing you can do! You have to leave, now!" he yelled as she continued to try and escape from him. He growled as he pulled the stubborn girl with him as the Bullhead landed and everyone began to pile onto the ship.

"No! Let me go! Let me go! We have to go back for Jaune! We have to-Gah!" she was silenced as the man struck her in the back of the head and rendered her unconscious.

' _Sorry kid,'_ he thought as he handed her to her comrades.

He looked to Goodwitch as she nodded and the last of the students got on board. "Get out of here. Get them back to the school while we'll hold them off. And tell the boy's family…that I'm sorry I failed them again." She nodded as the door began to take off.

He sighed as he drew his weapon and stood by his men.

"Men! We're not going to allow these beasts to take this fort! We are going to win this day if it's the last goddamn thing we do!" his men cried out in approval as they fought against the beasts of darkness.

He cast his gaze to the edge of the valley as he shook his head and returned to the fight. Guilt weighing heavy on his soul as another Arc had died on him. Another soul to carry with him for the rest of his life. Today the students would mourn the loss of one of their own, and the teachers would have the unfortunate duty of informing grieving parents of their child's demise…

If that were the full story.

* * *

Hours Later – the Black Forest

* * *

Deep down below the treelines of the valley at the edge of a river, the hero of our tale lay still in the water as his aura shimmered and flickered before cracking like glass. Soft breaths exited his mouth as life still breathed into the boy. By some miracle of fate, the boy had survived his perilous fall and landed in the most inhospitable location known to mankind.

With no weapon and no idea what would befall him in this dark forest.

No one would have ever guessed that this event would forever change not only the path of this young boy but the path of everyone around him as this would be the begin of a warrior. A survivor. A Legend...

The Legend of The White Wolf

* * *

 **And Scene. Well, here is a new story idea I've been cooking up for a while called. The Aura Knight – also considered calling it Will of a Survivor but went with this instead. I kind of got inspired by 'Returning from the Wilds' by Martvill and Imayoshi's 'Silver' with the survival aspects of the Tomb Raider reboot games.**

 **In this Jaune must struggle in the harsh forest, learn to use a new power and make his way back to Beacon and his friends. I'm still working on my other stories, but I just wanted to get this one written. Apparently from what I learned it's good to write multiple stories, even if you are still working on others as it helps creativity and inspiration. And with how the current RWBY plot is going I'm going to need a whole lot of it.**

 **Also, even though there have been stories of Jaune being lost in places, we never get to see him survive in such places, only ever time skipping to like two years later. I wanted to try and focus on his time in the forest and his development to getting stronger.**

 **Also, I chose the Wolf because it is the symbol of Guardianship, Loyalty and Intelligent. Which I personally believe fits Jaune and he will need that if he wants to survive the wilderness of Remnant. Also, because he calls the pigtails his sisters give him as 'Wolf Tails' so thank you Sokka.**

 **So, tell me what you think in the review section and stay tuned for…**

 **Chapter II: Survival**


	2. Chapter II: Survival

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night." Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N Many of you may be wondering how I manage to post two chapters so close together? Well, I'm trying to write as many chapters for a story at a time I wanted to try writing more chapters of one story, rather than one chapter for multiple stories. But I may just go back to my old system.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy this story of Jaune surviving in the wilderness and learning to become a better Huntsman.**

* * *

Chapter II – Survival

* * *

Blackness swarmed at the edges of his vision as dark blue eyes slowly opened. The confusion evident on his face, as the sound of water gently lapping and cold wetness that surrounds his lower half. His vision slowly returning to normal as he opened his eyes to greet a star-covered sky. He took the moment to look around as he found himself at the edge of a river and surrounded by large black trees.

Instantly memories flooded back to him as he remembered the battle at the fort, the pain of being barrelled by a large Grimm, the weightlessness of falling and the hard impact of hitting the water.

"Oh shit! Gah!" he cried out as he tried to sit up only to grasp his side in pain. "Argh! That hurts! That really hurts!"

He looked far out and up at the large cliffs in the distance and the large height that. "Holy crap…How the hell did I survive falling from that?" he looked down at his hand as it shimmered with his aura before flickering off sporadically.

"Okay…I don't think it's supposed to do that."

He slowly and painfully stood back up while grasping at his side. He looked around as all he saw were blackened trees and dead leaves. "Please tell me I'm not where I think I am?" a distant howl caught his attention as he turned to the dark woods.

"Yep…I'm in the forest…looks like the river carried my downstream into the dead part of the forest. That's just great, how the hell are the others supposed to find me? …my scroll!" he instantly reached for his scroll as he attempted to contact his team to help him get out of here.

But his hope turned to dread as the scroll was cracked, waterlogged and completely busted. There was no way it was making calls anytime soon. "Oh, that's just great…" he chucked the scroll away as he looked up to the large cliffs that surrounded the valley. "There is no way I'm going to be able to climb that, argh, or even get there with these injuries." He held his side as he looked around.

"Need to find shelter. Got to find somewhere to hide out until the others find me…if they find me."

He trudged on into the woods as he searched deeper and deeper into the black forest. The pain in his ribs still aching as he desperately searched for any kind of shelter. But no matter where he looked all he saw was trees and rocks that were not fit for any kind of shelter. He spotted a few animals on the way, a few boars and plenty of deer, but they fled as soon as they saw him.

"This is ridiculous!" he hissed as he continued searching. "There has to be something here?" he continued to look around and he marched on through the forest.

A low growl caught his ear as fear instantly swelled in his chest. He slowly turned around as his fear was confirmed at the sight of a large Beowulf that growled hungrily at him. The beasts pitch black fur and white bone armour seemed to almost glow amongst the red hue of its eyes and markings. He slowly tried to calm his breathing as he held up one hand while the beast circled him.

"E-Easy boy…" he tried to tell the beast. "I don't mean any harm…I just want to go home…you don't have to eat me…" the growl turned louder as he shivered. "Okay maybe you want to, but I got to warn I taste bad. L-Like really bad…some say I taste like…fish? No that's stupid."

His eyes trained on the beast while he also searched around for anything that he could use as a weapon. But nothing would helpful as al there were dead trees and dried leaves.

 _'O-Okay just calm down. It hasn't attacked me yet and I should still have my aura. I could probably make a run for it-!'_

Suddenly a large roar sounded behind him as a second Grimm pounced from the darkness but missed as he just managed to duck under the beast. But the beasts claw still managed to scratch him as three red marks now lined his right arms bicep.

"Gah!" he screamed in pain as he grabbed hold of his arm and stared in shock at the blood that leaked out. "What the hell!? Why didn't my aura-!" he didn't have time to question as the second beast pounced and hi instinctively ducked out of the way.

"Right! Run now! Think later!"

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, the beast of darkness hot on his heel as he ran deeper into the forest. His heart beating rapidly in his chest and his adrenaline pumping as he desperately avoided the Grimm. He tripped a fell a few times earning him more cuts and bruises, as his aura was still not working properly.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" he cursed while running. "Why the hell isn't my aura working!?" blood dripping from his arm as it trailed behind him in random splotches.

Sharp claw lunged at his back as the chest plate on his back was ripped to shreds and four large cuts lined his back. He screamed in pain as he fell into a large ditch and tumbled down into the mud and dirt.

Blood mixing in with the mud as the rain began to fall from the heavens. A crack of thunder lighted the sky as a terrified Jaune looked back to a hungry Grimm as it slowly lurked towards him. He scurried back away from the beast, hoping to find some way of escape.

But all he found was hard stone pressed against his back, and now three Beowolves at his front.

 _'Shit! Is this is how I'm going to die!? Here in the mud!?'_

The beast growled as he pressed himself further back into the stone thinking this was going to be his last moments. This was how his life and career as a huntsman was going to end before it even began.

Just before he could accept his fate the stone behind him crumbled and he fell into a large cavern. The beast roared as they tried to claw at him, but their large frames made it near impossible to fit through the crack.

Jaune instantly scrambled back as tried to calm his rapidly beating heart as the beast almost made it through. But before the Grimm could make it inside, they suddenly stopped and gave up their chase. He stared in confusion before sighing in relief and gasped in pain as blood spat out of his mouth.

Darkness was all he saw as he looked around the cavern. The dim moonlight from the crack was that he could see as it barely illustrated the large cavern.

"W-Where am I?" he looked around the large cavern.

Though it didn't feel like a natural cavern as the floor was smooth and man-made, as well as the wall he currently had his back on. Before he could question anything, he felt his aura flicker and his body became illuminated in the white light.

"Oh sure, now it works" he felt his injuries slowly heal, though still stung with the painful sensation. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the wounds on his arms and back slowly start to close up.

"Well, that's that…but why the heck didn't my aura work till now? Is it because I'm out of danger or is there something going on out there…or in here?" he looked around as his auras glow illuminated more of the large room.

His suspicions were confirmed when it was revealed to be not a cavern, but a large man-made room with carvings and murals of strange beings wielding strange abilities as two figures were depicted as giants. One was a large man with antler-like horns growing from his head. While the other was a similar man with goat-like horns growing from his head.

He couldn't tell what they were, but they appeared to be worshipped if not for the smaller humans depictured at their feet. He looked around as more carvings lined the walls of what he could only assume were an ancient temple.

"This is…weird…who the hell made this? And why is it in the middle of a Grimm infested forest?" he reached out to touch the wall as his aura still shimmer around his form.

The moment his fingers touched the wall the walls lit up with all sort of strange symbols and marks that lined the entire walls and stretched further into the temple, even at the entrance of the crack he came in, before fading back into the stone. He looked around awed as the light slowly faded.

"Whoa…what the heck was that?" he looked back to the crack as he noticed the Grimm had still not attempted to barge in. "Is this place…protected from the Grimm?" the glow of his aura began to die down as darkness returned.

"Shit! I need a light." He quickly noticed some old wooden furniture that had decayed to an almost rotten point. "This will have to do."

He snapped off the legs of the chairs and piled them up into a pile. Searching the small pouches on his belt he was glad that his flint-kit was still with him and managed to get a light going.

"Thank the Gods for all those camping trips and boy scout meetings."

In no time he had a small fire going as the orange light bathed the large room in its glow and the basked the carvings of the twin figures in an eerie glow. He sighed as rested his back against the wall and finally took a breath and take stock of his inventory.

He had a few bandages, his flint, some string, a compass his grandfather gave him ten years ago and two bars of food. He saw a few weapons on the ground, but when he picked them up, they just broke and flaked into dust.

"Okay…let's think. I'm currently in the valley, that is completely surrounded by cliffs and crawling with Grimm. I have maybe two bars of food to last a day, a flint, my journal, no scroll, no weapon, and none of the ones here is in any shape to use them, and this place that seems to be safeguarding me from the Grimm." He sighed as he shook his head.

"These aren't going to last me long. The Grimm won't get in, but I don't have any way to defend myself. I could wait for the others to come back for me…but after falling from that height…it's more than likely they think I'm dead. Especially if it's true what they say, and no one has ever escaped this place alive..."

He sat in the silence of the large room as the weight of his situation towered over him.

"…Shit…Shit…shit, shit, shit! Shit! Fucking shit!" he screamed as he got up and kicked another of the old furniture to the floor.

He screamed as he felt truly hopeless in the situation. He knew his chance of surviving were slim, near non-existent, because of his lack of skills and it would only be a matter of time before he either starved to death or get eaten by the Grimm. He was going to die here, alone and scared in this godforsaken place and no one would ever know…

* * *

Four days passed since then and the boy was still trapped within the temple that was his only offering of salvation. He had tried to look for food in the temple, but all of the stocks were gone and empty. Completely bone dry and reduced to nothing but dust. He had tried to leave the temple before, but the Grimm are waiting for him outside.

He managed to get back inside, but not before they managed to give him a few new scars. One on his left cheek and another on his right leg. His aura once again draining at an insane rate once he left the safety of the temple.

He could only assume there was something out there that was actively draining his aura at an alarming rate. He had briefly heard Professor Port mention – in one of his long-winded tales – about a type of Grimm that had the ability to drain a huntsman of his aura and will.

Not that he knew what it was as the man had basically glossed over it for another one of his tales of his youth.

He could only assume that it was out there waiting for him or was resting somewhere and just happened to be feasting off him. Grimm apparently got stronger as the years went past.

The Ursa Major and the Deathstalker his team had fought were a testament to that.

The only reason he was alive right now was due to the small rations that he had and this temple that seemed to ward off the Grimm. But time was running out for the boy. He was either going to have to try and escape this valley or die at the hands of Grimm or starvation.

His tired eyes fell to the large imposing figures of the carvings behind him as their forms towered over him. He had explored more of the temple and managed to keep the small fire going these pasts few days using the old furniture that lived within its walls.

But he was just about out of firewood and markings on rocks wasn't going to keep him alive any time soon.

When had managed to peek out safely he hadn't even seen or heard any attempts to rescue him in the sky, which meant everyone believed he was dead…and no help was going to come for him.

No one was coming to save him.

He looked to the last of his rations as there was barely enough for a rat. Just crumbs and wrappings. He fell back down as he grabbed his head and waited for the inevitable. But right now he couldn't think of anything and just decided to just let fate deal with him.

' _My parents were right, this was too much for me…I should have just stayed home…I'm not good at anything...I-I...'_

He fell to his side as he closed his eyes and let the fatigue and unrest finally take hold of him and drifted off into sleep.

* * *

In his dreams, he was far away from this place, far away from his impending danger and back at Beacon Academy. His friends were with him as they laughed and smiled in the warm sun.

He reached out to grab them but the ground beneath his feet began to crumble and he plummeted into a sea of dark and red eyes. He curled himself into a ball as the creatures of Grimm surrounded his form. Teeth dripping with drool as they lurched towards the boy.

Death had come for him...

Before they could bite into the boy, a loud howl echoed out as a large white wolf stood over the boy. Its fur as white as snow and its eyes like pure sapphires as it stood over the boy protectively. On its shoulder, however, was the symbol of the Iron Wolves as it glared and growled at the beasts of darkness and driving them away.

Jaune looked up to the wolf as the large wolf looked down at the boy before it turned around and began to walk away.

" _Jaune…"_ he heard his grandfather's voice as the wolf looked back to him.

 _"If ever you are lost and you feel the world is closing in around you, remember these words…"_

* * *

A large thunder crack woke him as Jaune's eyes snapped open. He looked towards the crack as the rain began to pour down into the temple, the rainwater spreading across the floor as lightning flashed across the sky.

He looked to the fire as the flame had gone down to a smouldering ember as he stared at the burning wood then up to the large carvings as his eyes were set in a look of pure determination. He grabbed the last remaining pieces of firewood he had and tossed them into the embers before he ripped off his shoulder plate and placed it into the fire.

He ripped off some of his clothes and wrapped them around his hands as makeshift mittens while placing his chest plate at the entrance to gather the falling rain. He carefully plucked the metal from the fire as it glowed red hot before placing the glowing armour piece on the floor, picked up a large brick and smashed it with the stone.

"I am not…going to die here…" he smashed it again as the metal bent slightly.

"…I will not fear the night…"

He chanted the words his grandpa told him long ago, as the rock hammered into the metal as his hands shook from the vibrations and sparks flew from the impact. But he didn't care as he continued to hit the metal and bend it into shape.

"…nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight…"

The rock banging and clanging against the armour as he slowly started to bend and fold the metal.

"…I will find the power that dwells inside…"

The pauldron slowly bending shape as he folded the metal again and again to strengthen the steel. He repeated it again and again as he tried to work the steel into a suitable shape. The sparks briefly illuminating the temple more as the two figures watched over him.

"…and forge my weapon from the Light…"

He roughly forged the weapon into shape as he looked back to the crack and the mud that still leaked into the room. The chest plate acting well enough to gather the rain in its dip as he brought the water over to him.

"…I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights…"

The metal in his hand steamed as he placed it into the water before he roughly began to scrap it against his remaining shoulder guard. Grinding the blade until was sharp enough to cut his finger. He tore off one last fragment of his hoodie and wrapped the fabric around the handle of the makeshift blade.

He held up his hand-forged weapon as it looked like a single-edged dagger with a rough edge.

"…To make my way home from Darkness this night."

Jaune examined the blade as he checked it for any imperfections. Sure, it was rough, crude and by no means a perfect blade by the normal standard of weaponry. But honestly, he didn't really care. All that mattered was that it was his. It was his weapon that he would use to survive in this hell hole.

This is what would help him get back to the others.

He set his sight to the entrance as he scoffed down the last of his rations and prepared to do what all Huntsman was born to do…

Hunt

Grabbing the mud on near the entrance he began to coat himself with brown sludge, in a hope to mask his presence from the Grimm. But he knew well enough that while animal-like in nature, the Grimm could sense him through negative emotions.

Fear, Anger and Sorrow.

Which was why right now he had to harden his heart. Not letting fear or anger cloud his senses or guide his actions. He had to use his brain, his wits and whatever skill he had to make it out of the temple.

He slowly crept his way out of the hole as he kept his eyes peeled on the forest. He could already feel this time his aura draining at a rapid pace and needed to do this quickly while also being cautious of any noise whatsoever as the Grimm had seemingly vanished. But he had fallen for that trick before and would not suffer it again.

His grip tightened on the handle as he slowly walked through the forest. He heard the snap of a branch as he quickly spun around to see a lone Beowulf bounding towards him.

He instantly rolled out of the way as the Grimm bound over his body and missed him by a hair.

He held up his blade as the creature landed in the mud before turning back and roaring at the boy. Jaune held his blade fast as he and the lone Grimm slowly circled around each other, each one weary of the others next moves.

One Grimm, there was only one Grimm at the moment, which means the others had gone off to find something to eat and this one was left behind. He had observed them long enough to get a general idea of their behaviours.

And that was all he needed.

His fingers tightening on the handle as the Grimm's claws scraped against the dirt and mud. The beast growled and Jaune glared, as the rain continued to fall upon the pair.

A flash of lighting, a reflection of light and a dying howl echoed out as he plunged his blade into the beast's neck.

In the fraction of a moment, Jaune had used the lightning from the sky to attack the beast. Of course, he too had been temporarily blinded, but he had managed to calculate how far he was from the beast and how hard he had to stab the creature in order to kill the beast. The beast howled as he forced the Grimm into the mud, smoke spilling from its neck as he pushed harder and harder until the beast's eyes faded and it fell dead in the mud.

He breathed many a breath in order to calm his beating heart.

Adrenaline pulsing through his veins as he stared down at the young dead Grimm. Barely any bone its body as it had been foolish enough to think it could take in the boy alone.

That had been its mistake and why it ended up dead at Jaune's feet.

He looked up to the sky as the rain poured down on him. Relishing for a moment in the feeling of relief and triumph over his first kill since he had arrived in this godforsaken forest. But a distant howl broke him from his victory as he glared down before he pulled his blade from its fading corpse and sheathed it to his belt.

He quickly went over to a tree as he pulled a long branch and quickly made a run to the river, he passed nearly a week ago.

He quickly found the river as he used his boy scout training to quickly sharpen the stick into a crude spear and searched the river for any sign of fish. He had learnt from his father while fishing that fish tended to be more active during rain as they believed bugs were on the surface of the water.

His eyes carefully scanning the surface of the water as he spotted a few fish swimming close to the surface. A few small bluegills were nice, but he needed a big fish if he wanted to survive another day in the valley. But he also had to hurry before the Grimm found him.

Daylight was fading and he needed to hurry.

He spotted a big juicy fish as he threw his 'spear' at the water and struck the fish right through the chest. Even managing to snag one of the small Bluegill as well.

"Yes!" he congratulated himself as he quickly plucked the spear from the water, grabbed a few more pieces of wood and tying them around his waist before he rushed back to the temple.

The sun began to fade on the valley as the howls of the Grimm echoed out that made Jaune's pulse run quicker.

He spotted a few glowing red eyes in the forest as he sprinted madly towards the cave temple. Ponding paws sounding behind him as he dared not look back, knowing that the Grimm was already on him.

The entrance was just ahead of him as he slid into the entrance just as the Grimm pounced on him. Only to smack against the barrier of whatever the Temple was producing.

Jaune cautiously watched the Grimm pound on the barrier before they eventually gave up and trotted away.

He sighed in relief as looked at his prizes as he felt a sense of pride in his chest as he managed to keep himself alive. He quickly got to work gutting and reignited the fire as he allowed the flames to slowly cook the white meat.

* * *

Beacon Academy – Team JNPR's Room

* * *

In the room of team JNPR, all members of RWBY and JNPR of its members sat around the room dressed in black as the school had held a small memorial for the fallen member of Team JNPR. The whole school had attended as the passing of another student was one that always affected them in one way or another.

Reminding them that even at their age, death would become a frequent risk in the career of Huntsmen.

Team RWBY and JNPR had been the most affected by this, as Jaune had been one of their closest friends. Ruby was also heavily affected by his passing as he was one of the first friends she had made when he arrived at Beacon. His death had affected her just as much as it did her mother's passing years ago.

And it hurt just as much now as it did back then.

Yang and Blake were equally affected by his death to a degree as even though they hadn't interacted with the boy, as much as their leader had, he was still a friend to them. Yang was angry that she couldn't save him, and Blake saddened of the passing of another accepting human of her kind.

Weiss, however, felt the most guilt for his death as he had sacrificed himself to save her from the Beringel.

She recalled the moment he jumped on the creatures back as he told her to run. Memories of all the times she had been cold to him weighed on her guilt as she realised that in the entire time, she had known him, she hadn't been very nice to him.

If she could go back and change his fate she would. If at least accept one of those dates.

However, the ones most affected by his death were that of his teammates as they gathered around their room.

Ren held a look of frustration and regret as once again he had lost someone he was beginning to see as a brother. Much like how he had lost his home long ago to the Grimm. Now it seemed that he had lost another part of his life to the monsters of Darkness. Was this meant to be his life, to always lose something to the Grimm?

…That thought made him angry.

Nora the once cheerful and peppy member of the team didn't have that same spark in her eyes as she too felt like she had lost someone close to her. Ren was important to her, but Jaune was almost like a brother to her. Being protective, helpful and trying to keep her out of trouble the best he could as their leader.

But now, it just felt…empty.

Pyrrha on the hand was having the harshest time as she had not only lost a partner but her first true friend and crush.

She held the white Sheath of Crocea Mors in her hands as she stared at the blade of her 'Fallen' partner. Its white and gold metal littered with small scratches and nicks as she studied the blade over and over again. But while her eyes wandered over the blade, they held a deep level of sadness as she felt deep sorrow for the boy's passing.

In a way, she felt responsible for his death because she had failed to keep him safe as his partner. She had failed to protect him when he needed her the most and now, she was left with this sorrow for as long as she lived.

Weiss noticed her downtrodden expression as she hesitantly walked over to the girl.

"…Pyrrha"

Said girl looked to the heiress as she held her arm awkwardly. "…I'm…I'm so sorry about Jaune...I…I should have done something to help him when that Beringel attacked. If it wasn't for me, he'd still-" Pyrrha stopped her as she shook her head.

"It's okay, Jaune was just…doing what he thought was right. It's not your fault what happened…" she smiled sadly as she stroked the blade in her hand. "Jaune always said he wanted to be a Hero like his ancestors. I don't blame you for his death…I blame myself for not looking out for him. I was his partner…it should have been me instead."

Ren placed a hand on her shoulder as he shook his head. "We cannot always protect everyone. What is important is protecting what we can and make sure that his memory lives on." She looked up at the boy as she nodded.

"So…what's going to happen to Jaune's sword?" Ruby asked as she looked at the blade. "Are they going to send it back to his family?"

Pyrrha shook her head as she held the blade. "His family said that I should keep it. It's apparently an Arc tradition to give the weapon of their fallen to a comrade that was close to them. Because I was Jaune's partner, they think I should keep it and use it to carry on his dream." She let a small tear fall on the blade as she gripped it tight.

"They…They were so nice to me, even though I failed in keeping their son safe. I-I can't just let them down. I need to do this, to carry on his dream," Ruby nodded as she and the rest of her team placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We'll make sure his dream lives on Pyrrha, we have your back." The rest nodded as she smiled softly to them and they all looked at the blade of their fallen friend.

* * *

Ozpin stared at his monitor as read over the report of the young Arcs passing. He had informed his family of his demise and to say that Diana Arc was angry would be an understatement. She was downright furious that he had let this happen. Of course, he knew it was just her maternal grief talking, but even he felt some guilt at his passing.

It was something he never truly got over no matter how many lifetimes he went through.

The family had attended the service for the boy and the teams had managed to meet the rest of the Arc Clan. His older sister, Saphron Arc, was saddened that her son Adrian would grow up without an Uncle in his life.

"But I suppose that is the life of a huntsman after all."

He sighed as he turned off his monitor and walked to the glass window. Watching out over the school he swore to protect and the secrets that it hid. The door opened up as Glynda Goodwitch walked into the room. While on the outside she held a professional appearance, Ozpin could tell that she too carried the guilt for letting the young man die on her watch.

"Glynda, how are you feeling?" he asked as she nodded.

"I'm fine Headmaster, the Arc family has left for Mistral and the service preceding's are wrapping up. Class's has been postponed as you requested to allow the children time to grieve. But we will have to resume soon if we want their training to be up to par. After the loss of Mister…Mister Arc, I think it would be best if we upped their training regime." He nodded at this.

"Very good, Miss Goodwitch. It would be wise to up their training, lest we lose another student on our watch." She nodded and began to walk away before she stopped.

"Headmaster, if I may be so bold?" he turned back to her.

"Why did you allow Mister Arc into this Academy, knowing that his transcripts were faked? I'm not trying to undermine the boy since his passing was 'heroic' in a sense. But why did you allow someone who was clearly unskilled to attend this Academy?" the man looked away slightly before he turned to the school.

"…To be truthful Miss Goodwitch I was originally planning to have him thrown out once he got through the forest, whether he was successfully or not. We have more pressing issues then catering to a child living a fantasy of Heroism and Nobility…" he shook his head.

"That was until I witnessed his test and I saw he had... _potential_ in the boy." He looked up as his mind played back the initiation test.

"The boy clearly has… _had_ …a strategic mind capable of unique solutions to problems others wouldn't think of. Yes, it was his team that made the Kill, but it was Mister Arc that noted the strengths of his teammates and the Weakness of the Grimm and used it to his advantage." He sighed as he shook his head.

"I truly believed that if given the chance, Mister Arc could have proven to be a valuable warrior in the years to come…but clearly, we should have taken better steps to help him improve rather than just leaving it to his partner." His shoulders sagged as he felt the weight of another life burdened him.

"We cannot let that happen again. We must up their training…before _she_ strikes." Glynda nodded as she knew whom he was talking about.

"Another thing, please delete Mister Arcs Transcripts from the records and re-register authentic ones…it would be best that he be remembered as a noble warrior, rather than a cheater that snuck his way in." Goodwitch stared at the man before she nodded and pressed a few keys on her scroll.

And with that, she left the man alone as he looked out amongst the school and the sun slowly setting on the horizon. "…I am truly sorry, Mister Arc. I hope that wherever you are, it is a much better place."

* * *

The Black Forest – Same Time

* * *

Jaune held the blade he forged from his armour as he stared at its rugged edge and black-clothed handle. In only an hour using this weapon, he had managed to keep himself alive, find food and survive another day in this accursed valley. Despite the odds that were against him he managed to survive.

He managed to keep himself from dying and killed his second Grimm by himself.

But this was only just the start. He needed to figure a way out of the valley. He needed to find a way to get past the Grimm that hounded him at his door and find a way to make it back to his friends at Beacon. He had taken the first steps to achieve those goals, now all he needed to do was keeping pushing forward.

He looked up to the ceiling as a memory of all his friends passed him by. Each one smiling and laughing as they basked in the warm sun at Beacon Academy.

His eyes were set into a determined glare as he gripped the blade tight.

"This is just the start. For now, I need to get better, get stronger and find a way out of this place." He plucked one of the fish from the fire as he chewed on the meat.

"I'm _not_ going to die here. _I will_ get back to the others, and I am going to be a _Huntsman_ …" he grinned as he bit into the food.

"Count on it!"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is the Second Chapter of The Legend of the White Wolf, I hope you all enjoyed it. Next Chapter I'll be having Jaune learn of new ways to use his aura, similar to that of Imayoshi's story, but more gaining ideas from the temple.**

 **The Temple I decided would have old magic from the Time of Gods and Magic before the Gods wiped them out. Mankind didn't seem to have much trouble with Grimm back then, so I would assume they had some method to keep them out. One that has been lost to Ozma – who was mostly a warrior – and to time. Maybe it is considered sacred to the Grimm and to treed there are blasphemes. Or just has a powerful barrier.  
**

 **I'm also trying to write more chapters before I post stories, cause this one has been on my mind for a while now. There will be time skips in this story, but hopefully, it works out. I'm still focused on my other stories so just hang in there.**

 **Also, the whole forging a blade from his shoulder pad is something I thought of while playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider where Lara makes a makeshift blade from a propeller blade.**

 **Stay tuned next time for**

 **Chapter III: Discovering New Powers**


	3. Chapter III: Discovery of a New Power

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor.

Anywho, enjoy!

 **A/N I've added a few skills to Jaune, mostly sewing and stuff like that to explain how he can craft some of the tools he needs to survive. Which may not be far from the realm of possibility as even without fighting he would need basic skills to survive.**

* * *

Chapter III – Discovery of a New Power

* * *

The early morning dew caked the tall blades of grass in the black forest as a simple Boar grazed in a small clearing. The animal simply enjoying the simple food completely unaware of a figure that lurked from the treelines of the forest. The figure was shrouded by a hood as he slowly pulled back on a makeshift bow and arrow.

Blue eyes focused on the animal, as he aimed at the soft spot between its head and body.

He let loose the projectile as the arrow sailed through the air and pierced its hide, just between its head and its body. The pig squealed and hollered as it tried to run away, only to fall as the arrow severed its spinal cord and rendered the animal helpless.

The figure walked out of the forest as it stood over the animal as it squealed and howled in pain.

The figure was a young man dressed in makeshift clothes fashioned from hides of boar and deer as his upper half was covered with a small cloak fashioned from deer hides and a black hood. On his back was a makeshift rucksack with a crude quiver, hand forged arrows and a makeshift bow.

The figure drew back his hood as Jaune looked down at the animal before he drew the makeshift blade from his belt and knelt down to the pig and softly stroked its fur.

"I'm sorry about this…but I need to survive" he plunged the blade into its head and ended its suffering. The boar stopped squealing as it fell limp to the floor.

The young man pulled the blade from its head as he got to work on harvesting what he needed from the animal. Meat, fat, tusks, anything salvable that would be useful in surviving the forest. He piled the food and meat into the makeshift rucksack as he got to work skinning the animal for its hide.

His blade cutting into its flesh as he carefully removed the hide from the creature's body. Its hide would be useful for making more clothes and better gear as he rolled the hide up and tied it to his back. He was just thankful for his time spent working at his hometowns butchers and learned how to properly remove hides from animals…

After he stopped vomiting the first time.

He carefully looked around for any sign of Grimm before he sighed in relief and pulled his hood back over his head and made his way back to the temple.

It had been a month since Jaune Arc had been thrown into the valley of the Black Forest and the boy had somehow managed to survive. Thanks to all the camping trip's his family took him on. The sewing and cooking skills he learned from his mother, the basic archery lessons his grandfather snuck him and the experience he gained working in the multiple businesses at his hometown had helped him survive.

While his parents never wanted him to be a Huntsman, that didn't mean he would do nothing.

They often made it a priority that he learns some of the basic skills in life. His mother absolutely made sure that he learned how to cook, garden and sew. While his father taught him how to identify edible plants and animals while they were on camping trips.

On his first camping trip, he mistook poison ivy for regular leaves and end up with a rash in a…well, personal area.

In any case over the past month, Jaune had managed with trial and error, to create a makeshift bow using a strong branch from the woods. Fibre from the remnants of his hoodie twisted into a strong cord. Deer hide for the quiver and feathers looted from dead birds or abandoned nests. He also managed to craft spearhead from his other pauldron for fishing and a stone hatchet for chopping down wood.

Combined with his knife, he had managed to expand his arsenal and allowed him to hunt more effectively rather than just relying on fish.

They did manage to help him survive the Grimm, but the stone heads he managed to craft for his arrows were only good for hunting regular animals, not beasts of darkness that could shrug off simple tools. His knife would dull after each use coming into contact with bone and the stone hatchet he made would suffer the same.

Not to mention he still lost Aura at a rapid pace whenever he left the temple, so he could not fortify their strength.

He did, however, manage to construct some traps to use not only on animals but on the Grimm themselves. He set them up all over the forest in case he ever needed to lose any Grimm that were trying to pursue him. Doing this also allowed him to explore more of the forest and the large valley he found himself trapped within.

It was completely walled off, with the only way out was by climbing the stone face.

He had tried to climb out, but the lower half of the cliff was too steep to climb, and the Grimm had caught up to him before he could get any higher and he was forced to flee. He tried to follow the river to see if it exited out somewhere, but all it led to was a large lake in the more overgrown area of the forest.

He had tried to see if there was an underwater exit, but no such luck.

What he had noted was that the valley was at some point either a large settlement or Kingdom, as he found other decrepit ruins amongst the overgrown trees and stones of the valley. He also found evidence of an ancient battle many, many years ago. Such as old catapults and more highly degraded weapons that were unfit for use.

Still, he wasn't going to just give up and let this place be the death of him. He would find a way out of here and make it back to his friends. That was a promise.

A curious thing he noted, however, was that continued leaving and re-entering the temple after depleting his aura reserves were helping to increase them.

He figured that aura was probably just like a muscle, more training and continued use could make it stronger. He was intrigued by this and wanted to experiment more with the possibilities and applications of it.

After all, he had little knowledge of Aura and what it could truly do. Hell, not even his partner fully knew its true capabilities and she was a four-time champion.

Aura, to this day, was still a mysterious power that existed inside the hearts of every man, woman and child on the planet. An energy field that protected their bodies and fuelled the power the dwelled inside of them. But only if that power was unlocked.

Yet after many years, not even the greatest Huntsman have ever been to fully understand the power that existed inside them. It was a mystery that could never be explained.

Jaune himself was still relatively new to the concept of Aura and had still lacked the ability to summon his semblance. A unique power that was privy only to the individual. For months he had been trying to unlock his semblance with his partner, but nothing seemed to work.

He had learned that certain semblances were passed on genetically – like the Schnee family – who had the ability to summon constructs of fallen foes. Still, there had to be more to Aura then just summoning a Semblance and making a shield, right? There had to be more than that.

Jaune sighed as he made his way back to the temple. Careful to avoid any of the Grimm or the traps he set up around the temple. Even though it offered him protection, he was cautious about it failing eventually and set up traps just in case.

"At least I've gotten better at this whole hunting thing," he commented to himself as he walked through the crack.

The interior of the cave had been redecorated with animal pelts as a bed, wood crafted into makes shift racks for clothes and pelts, a small storage area for meat and clay he found near the lake to craft bowls and cups. He even managed to craft some spoons and forks from the wood in the forest. He was quite the little craftsmen if he did say so himself.

Well, what do you expect when you had seven older sisters and you needed to avoid playing dress up with them?

He placed the meat into the makeshift smoker he made from wood in order to dry the meat. It was the easiest way to preserve the meat as he could not risk leaving it out in the sun for the Grimm, or wild animals and had no access to salt. He would then store the meat on the makeshift rack for later.

"As much as I used to complain, it was really useful learning how to do this from Old man Smokey…uh, I guess that's why they called him Smokey back home? …or it could be because he smoked a lot?" his mind thinking about the old butcher back in the hometown that taught him how to preserve meat.

After that, he got to work checking his inventory and noted whether he needed to refill his water sacks, recheck the traps and sharpen his weapons. He had to keep up this routine if he wanted to stay alive. When he was done, he sat down by the fire and opened up his journal – that somehow survived his fall from the cliffs – and began writing in the journal.

* * *

 _Journal of Jaune Arc, Day 34, Year of the Wolf, X327_

 _It has been a month now since I've fallen into this place. Food is holding out and I've managed to make myself some better weapons from those times I hung out with the Hunters and Blacksmiths back home. But none of them is any effective against the Grimm without Aura._

 _I've yet to find whatever it is that is draining my Aura, but I can feel it out there now._

 _Still no sign of any rescue from above, not even from the fort stationed up high. I've tried to get a message out to them using smoke, but no response so far. They may have been overrun since I fell down here during the attack or have not been able to see me._

 _More than likely I fear the base was overrun._

 _Still, I was hoping that the Academy would have sent a team out to rescue me. It's been a month and still no rescue. But maybe the rumours have made them automatically assumed that I died down here due to the high mortality rate. Or it could have been because they didn't expect me to survive the fall, who knows?_

 _I have scouted a lot of this forest. From what I've seen there seems to be only Beowolves and Boarbatusks living in the forest. I have still yet to find whatever it is that is draining my Aura, but maybe that is for the best as I don't think I can kill it by myself if its ancient like the Deathstalker._

 _I have concluded that the only way out of this place is to climb. But I doubt I'll be able to climb high enough before the Grimm spots me. So, I need to come up with a plan to get myself higher before they can reach me…_

 _I do wonder how the other's are doing? Pyrrha must be scared sick about me, she always did worry about me too much. Ren and Nora must be worried too, even though I've only known them for a few months now. Seeing me fall like that must've been terrifying for them. They might even think I'm dead._

 _When I get back, I really need to apologise for worrying them._

 _As for Team RWBY; Ruby would most likely be worried too, or sad, I keep forgetting she's only fifteen years old and still just a kid. But, she's a heck of a lot stronger then I am. I'm sure she'll be fine. She's got her sister and her team after all._

 _Yang kind of reminds me of one of my older sisters, so I know she'll do all right. I know she likes to joke about me from time to time, but I know she's a good person and must miss me too…._

 _In her own Yang way._

 _I don't know Blake as well as the others, but I hope to change that when I get back. And Weiss…_

 _I don't know, I think I come off as annoying to her. She might miss me, but I don't know. I still have a crush on her, but maybe I should give her a break when I get back._

 _My family, on the other hand, I have no doubt they'll try and convince me to leave Beacon if I ever get back. I know my mum is going to kill me when I get back. But regardless of what they think I need to be at Beacon. It's what I want, and they can't stop me. I love them, but they worry too much…_

 _Then again, I am in a Grimm infested forest with little to no chance of survival…I can kind of see their point._

 _Saphron would be sad too, especially since she and Terra Cotta just adopted Adrian. I'm going to miss that little guy, he's such a cute little tyke. Another reason to get out of this hell hole, so that he has a cool Uncle in his life to rely on. Because he will no doubt be the target of the others adoration of his cuteness…_

 _I shudder to remember all the times they stuffed me into those dresses…_

 _But, none of that will matter if I don't think of a way out of here._

 _These markings on the wall must mean something? Could they be a clue to helping me get out of here? Or are they just nonsense from a time long since passed. Regardless I am going to get out of here, I am going to make it back to Beacon and there is nothing that will stop me…_

* * *

"…Easier said than done," he closed the Journal and lay back on his bedroll.

He stared up at the ceiling as he continued to formulate a plan to escape from the valley. He thought about every possible angle that he could approach, every action he could take, every possibility that he could make it up the cliff without dying.

So far, nothing came to mind as every possibility ended up him being a tasty Grimm snack.

He looked over to the large mural of the two beings – which at this point he could only assume were Gods – as the smaller humans around them wielded strange abilities. In some of the carvings they were depicted shooting fire from their hands, others depicted them wielding swords of magical light – if the faded white paint on the surface was an indication – and some depicted as creating Golems of Stone to fight for them.

The most common feature Jaune noted as that beside them were what looked like…wolves?

They were prominent on the walls as most of them seemed to be seated near one of the warriors or at the feet of the large antler being. He wondered if these were just Huntsman using some form of Dust to augment their abilities. But no matter how much he looked there was no indication that they were using the strange material that grew beneath their feet.

No depiction of shards or any kind of Dust related product.

It was as if they were summoning the powers themselves without it. Was that possible? Was there more to Aura then just what they knew?

He sat up and stared at his hand as he tried and focused his aura into his hand. Trying to will it into something else, maybe even summon his semblance while he was at it. But no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened, and he just gave up.

"Well, so much for that thought…" he laid back down as he drifted off to sleep. Knowing that tomorrow he would have to repeat the whole thing again.

But as he did, his mind wandered back to his friends and he wondered what they were doing right now.

* * *

Meanwhile at Beacon Academy

* * *

The shattered moon of Remnant hung over the school of Beacon, as Pyrrha swung the blade of her fallen partner in perfect arches and hit the holographic targets of the school's combat arena. Her moves precise, her style graceful and her style flawless. The blade whistling in the air as it was finally wielded by a true master of the arts.

She stabbed, thrust, twisted and slashed as she repeated this over and over again, all the while unaware of the concerned faces that watched her from afar.

Nora and Ren watched silently as their teammate continued to practise with the sword of their leader. Concerned for the mental state of their friend after everything that had happened.

For the past months, she had been focused on nothing else but training, constantly pushing herself to be better no matter how many times she was told otherwise. They both knew it was because she blamed herself for Jaune's death and was trying to distract herself by training.

But both of them knew that she was pushing herself dangerously with the excessive amount of work.

They had tried to stop her, tried to tell her that she was going too far, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She just kept training again and again until she would collapse from exhaustion.

Like she did just now as she fell to the floor on one knee after hitting the last target.

' _Congratulation's, Miss Nikos. Your combat abilities have improved by 12%'_ the automated voice spoke as Pyrrha rested on her knee.

 _'Would you like to take a break and resume at a later-'_

"Again!" she ordered as she stood back up.

' _Miss Nikos, it is highly recommended that you rest as you have exceeded the maximum time limit for-'_

"I said again!" she ordered as the machine complied and restarted the training sequence.

Again, she practised against the holographic targets, each time swinging just a little bit faster than before and a little harder than the last time. Her moves becoming a little sloppy as exhaustion was clearly taking a hold on her.

Ren sighed as he watched his teammate push herself to the edge.

By all accounts, he should stop her, as he knew too well the pain she was suffering since Jaune's death. But he knew that she wouldn't listen to him. She would just say she was fine and brush it off like it was nothing.

He noticed that her personality was changing ever since Jaune died.

She was becoming more determined, more focused on getting stronger that she didn't even care about her own physical being. She even went as far as cutting her own hair shorter that it now reached to her shoulders.

She had changed, and not just emotionally, but physically as well as she even changed her armour to be more reminiscent of Jaune's. With better chest protection, shoulder guards and a symbol of the Arc crest on her left arm guard. She even equipped a grapple launcher to her rifle so that she would never lose another team member like she did Jaune

Ren and Nora were no different as they too had undergone some changes. But they were more worried about her, fearing that she would push herself too far and end up getting herself killed.

They even feared that's exactly what she wanted.

' _Combat ability increased by 13% Perce-'_

"Again!"

She continued to practise as the blade broke the holographic targets and her cries echoed out with each swing.

"Ren," he looked to Nora as she hugged his right arm. "I'm scared for her, she's pushing herself too much. We have to do something or she's going to get hurt."

"I know, but what can we do? Even though we've been in her position and we both know what she's going through it's not like any of us can stop her, or get through to her, she's too stubborn for that. We just need to be ready to catch her when she falls." Leaned his head atop of hers as she leaned into his embrace.

"I miss Jaune," he nodded as he held his childhood friend.

"Me too, Nora…me too"

* * *

Ozpin watched from his office as Pyrrha continued to train herself. Pushing herself beyond what was expected of her, and beyond the realms of rationality. It was honestly starting to frighten even him how much she was pushing herself.

He had tried to get her to seek counselling, but she refused and even refused his suggestion to take on another partner. It was clear that she was suffering from _survivors' guilt_ , a mental condition that made her believed that it was her that should have died instead of Mister Arc.

He was starting to see now that aside from her exceptional combat capabilities, she was more emotionally sensitive than he initially believed.

"Which is why I believe we need to find another candidate, Headmaster," Glynda told him as she too watched the poor girl.

"How do you mean, Miss Goodwitch?" he asked already knowing the answer, but wanted her opinion.

"While I did agree with you before that she would make a worthy candidate to become the Fall Maidens, it's clear now that we never took her mental stability into account. Her deep attraction to Mister Arc was much deeper than we initially believed, and that losing him has affected her greatly. She's pushing herself too much and taking on too many risks then she would have in the past."

He nodded as he observed her behaviour and her previous match against team CRDL where her tactics were more brutal and more…risky. Especially when one of them, Russel, accidentally said something negative about Jaune.

Team CRDL was still in the infirmary after the beat down she gave them.

"I believe that due to the pressure of her celebrity lifestyle she found relief and simplicity in the connection she had with Mister Arc. He had seen her differently from the others and she found that attractive. Losing him was too much for her psyche. If we gave her the Fall Maidens power…I have no idea what she could become?" Ozpin sighed as he nodded.

"I agree with you, but we are running out of options. We've heard nothing from Qrow in the past few months and already there are signs of her beginning her next move. While I agree with your evaluation, she is still our best candidate…but you are right, she is not in the proper mental state to inherit Fall's power. Not yet" he rubbed a hand over his tired face as he nodded to her.

"We'll wait until the Vytal Festival. If her behaviour hasn't changed by then, we'll use someone else. Begin screening for another potential candidate." She nodded as she left the room.

Ozpin sighed as he gazed out to the broken moon and wondered what his mortal enemy was up to at this moment. He knew Salem was out there, plotting to take the relics that he guarded and usher whatever plan she had for them. He was tasked with defeating her long ago by the God of Light and failed multiple times. He was losing this war, and he knew it.

He needed something, anything, to tip the scales into his favour. To truly defeat Salem once and for all and unite humanity before the time of judgement would be brought upon them.

The question was…what?

* * *

The Black Forest – One Month Later

* * *

Another month passed as his feet wadded through the water and he checked the traps he set to catch the fish swimming upstream. A little trick he learned from his father a while back when he went camping with his family and they decided to eat off the land.

It was also the only way he could catch more food without having to run into the Grimm.

While he was checking the traps, his mind was busy formulating a plan to get out of the Valley. He kept thinking of possible ways to make it out of the forest, and he had some ideas, but he still ran into the main problem.

The Grimm.

No matter what situation it always came back to the Grimm. His weapons were practically ineffective against the Grimm, especially without Aura. They were bound to break, dull with each use or get lost during combat and he doubted he could forge another any time soon. But he could feel his aura getting stronger the more time he spent going in and out of the forest.

Growing larger by draining them over and over again.

He tried some of the meditation techniques he spotted Ren doing a while back and noted how they seemed to help him regulate and focus his aura better. He even managed to learn how to store his aura away inside of him from whatever it was that was draining it and use it at the last possible moment to defend himself.

But the problem still remained, he needed a better weapon to fight off the Grimm.

What he needed was a weapon that would never break, never dull and never leave his side again. One that would be… _his_. Ever since he forged his dagger from his armour, he finally understood how attached Ruby was to her own weapon.

It was something she had put her heart, sweat and tears into crafting. Something that she was proud of and held a special connection with.

Crocea held a similar connection, but it was more out of an ancestral bound rather than one of his own.

He knew when he returned, he would reclaim his weapon, but for the moment he needed something else. Something else that would help him fight the darkness of this forest and make it back to his friends. Something that he could forge on his own, but what? There wasn't a lot of materials in the forest to craft a sword and there was only so much damage he could make with stone hatchets and arrows.

What else could a weapon be made of?

He sighed as he pulled out the trap from the river. "One problem at a time I suppose." He smiled when he saw four fish trapped as he placed it on the river bank and checked the other. Pulling out one of the fishes to examine.

A small twig snapped and instantly he was at his dagger with the intent to fight or run from the river.

Instead of Grimm however, he was met with a small wolf pup.

The small animal looking at him curiously as he stared back. The wolf pup had dark blue eyes with pure white fur and what looked like a small crest of red around its neck. The small animal looking at him curiously as it sat on the edge of the river bank. Almost eyeing him as watched his every move.

He stared back at the animal before he realised that it wasn't him it was looking at, it was the fish in his hand. He moved his hand left to right as the wolf pup followed it.

Now in any other circumstance people would tend to try and shoo away wild animals so that they wouldn't get at your hard-earned food. Something that Jaune had been struggling with since he arrived in this Gods Forsaken place. But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it as he stared at the small cub.

Reluctantly he threw the fish at the pup as it landed right in front of it.

The small wolf stared at the fish before it looked up at the boy and then grabbed the fish in its jaw and started trotting away. He smiled as he watched the small wolf walk away but grew cautious when two large wolves emerged from the forest.

One was pure white with blue eyes, while the other was strangely pure red with emerald eyes. The two wolves stared at the human boy, slightly growling when they saw his hand near his dagger.

He let go of the dagger as he held up his hands nonthreateningly.

The wolves seemed to relax at this as the young pup run up to them, the fish still hanging out of its mouth and its tail wagging happily. The Red Wolf, most likely the mother, nuzzled the small pup before it picked the pup by the scruff of its neck and walked away.

The White Wolf stared at Jaune and almost seemed to nod at the boy before it followed its mate.

What Jaune hadn't known that day, was what he had encountered was a species of Wolf called - Dire Wolves - a species thought to be extinct on Remnant. The Dire Wolves were half as tall as a man, and just as long. They were once considered majestic creatures that represented loyalty and guardianship to ancient tribes.

It was said that those that encounter these Wolves would either find good fortune or a grave end, depending on how they interacted with humans.

For the moment, it seemed they were friendly with Jaune as they made no move to harm him.

But as they were leaving, he couldn't help but feel something special with the Wolves, something relating to them and the temple mural with the warriors. He was struck with an idea as he packed the fish into his rucksack and made it back to the temple.

After he stored the fish away the young man gazed up at the mural as he cast his eyes on the stone warriors and the swords that floated in their hands. He looked to the wolf beside him before sat in the middle of the temple as he once again tried to concentrate on controlling his aura.

Ever since the river with the wolves, his mind had a strange idea about using something else as a weapon. Wood would break, stones would crumble, steel would bend, and Dust could only be used a limited amount of time.

But what if he forged a weapon form something other than those elements?

What if he forged his weapon…out of Aura?

Now granted, he knew little to nothing about Aura and it seemed to be draining quite sharply ever since he came to this forest. But recently he had felt his Aura getting stronger every time he went out into the forest and learned to store it inside of himself, he remembered Pyrrha telling him that Huntsman used Aura to strengthen themselves and their weapons.

So, he figured why not forge a weapon out of it?

He looked to the mural as he gazed at the sword hovering over the warrior's palm. He closed his eyes and focused on the same image. He imagined a blade of white, shining like a star, held in the palm of his hand as he cut his way through demons and darkness.

But no matter how hard he concentrated, no matter how hard he focused on the image, nothing happened as all he got was his aura flowing around him before shutting off.

He cursed as he tried again and again for hours straight. His patience straining as he grew more and more frustrated with the lack of results. Until finally he gave up and stopped meditating.

"This is ridiculous." He muttered to himself as he walked around the cave.

"I'm wasting my time with this. I barely know anything about aura, let alone my own semblance. How the hell do I think I'll be able to forge a weapon out of the stuff? I don't even think it's possible at all if it even is possible, to begin with." He sighed as he sat down on his bed.

"…Maybe I should just face the facts…I'm never going to get out of this place…I'm just going to die down here with nothing but fish and the Grimm…" he rested his head on his arms as he curled his legs to his chest.

A distant howl caught his attention as he looked up to the mural and then to the entrance.

He walked over and exited the cave as he met the same wolf from before, the wolf staring at him as he looked into its eyes.

The wolf walked over to the boy as remained completely still. The wolf leaned into the boy as he carefully stroked its fur, almost relishing how soft it felt. The wolf soon leaned back as it gestured back into the temple as Jaune looked between the temple and the wolf before it gestured to the edge of the cliff.

The wolf then turned around as he walked back to its mate at the edge of the treeline. It nuzzled the fur of its mate before it and its cub walked back into the forest. The small pup looking at Jaune one last time before it followed after its parents.

This small interaction had given him hope. For if life can survive down here, then so would he.

Jaune looked down at his hand before he curled it into a fist and smiled.

"Right…I'm not giving up, not yet…not until I get out here" he looked back to the Temple as he walked back in and sat back in a meditative spot.

Instead this time of thinking of the weapon he instead closed his eyes and focused on calming himself. The words of his grandfather coming back to him as he held out his hand.

"…I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight…" he breathed in calmly as he felt his aura surge within him. "I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light."

The image of a white wolf appearing in his mind as he remained focused.

He felt a strange tingling in his hand but remained focused on the chant.

"I will use its power to face my way through Demon's and Blight's." a small light shined between his eyelids as he opened his eyes and stared at a small white flame dancing on his palm.

"To make my way home from Darkness this Night"

He stared in awe as the small white flame danced within the centre of its palm, illuminating the temple with its light. He carefully hovered his left hand around the flame, almost afraid that a single gust of wind would snuff it out. He felt something within the flame as twisted and flickered in his palm.

It almost felt like he was holding a small piece of his soul in hand and that he just opened the door to a realm of new possibilities.

He looked up to the mural as he stared at the warriors and the Gods of old before he smirked and clenched his fist, shrouding him in darkness once more.

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter III of The Legend of the White Wolf. Merry Christmas to everyone, or happy holidays if you don't celebrate it and those who are still celebrating on your half of the world, and a happy new year. Wow, we've had a crazy year, right? New stories, new movies, new ways to make us think…**

 **Well, I don't know what to think, but still, it's been a great year and I hope we'll have another next year. I'm really invested in this story, as well as my other ones and I promise to continue writing them. I've just got to get this one written because it has been on my mind for the past two years.**

 **So, Jaune has started to develop his aura powers. It will differ from silver as I will be jumping a few months so I can get Jaune out of the Valley and into the World of RWBY. Please be patient and look forward to the next exciting instalment in…**

 **Chapter IV: A New Friend**


	4. Chapter IV: A New Friend

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter IV – A New Friend

* * *

Heavy breaths left his lungs as Jaune stood in the centre of the large temple. His skin drenched in sweat as the orange t-shirt, that somehow managed to survive, clung to his chest. His hands shaking as he placed them together and focused.

"Come on, one more time…one more time…" he focused as a small ball of white fire grew between his palms.

The ball of fire dancing between his fingertips as he slowly stretched his arms outward, the ball expanding as he did as it stretched out to resemble a fiery 'blade'. He continued to focus as he grasped on end of the blade as continued to focus. He held the blade in his hand as its form continued to waver and flicker like a flame.

It had no physical form and resembled something from those animated mechs shows he watched as a kid.

But there was no denying the beauty of the blade as he gave it a few swings.

He slowly but carefully swung the blade around as found himself following a familiar rhythm that he practised many times with his partner. He gave a mighty yell as he spun around and brought his blade down upon an unsuspecting stone. The blade effortlessly carving through the stone as for a moment the cave was silent…

Until the stone slowly slid and crumbled into two.

He smirked as he observed the clean-cut he made in the stone and the blade that made it. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the sword as the aura that made it slowly absorbed back into his body. A technique that took him a month to master, so as not to waste any unnecessary aura.

"Getting there…"

Two months had passed since Jaune had begun to explore the possibilities of what Aura could truly do. It wasn't easy learning how to manipulate aura to such a level, to forge a weapon out of pure aura as usually aura training took years of concentration and practice. But Jaune had both desperation and determination at his side to speed things up and he was not about to give up. So far, he had made some impressive progress.

His first attempt was to create a sword out of aura, to act as a replacement for his lost sword.

He managed to get a basic shape, but when he tested it the first time it bent and warped around its target instead of cutting it. Not a very effective weapon if it didn't actually damage anything. But after much trial and error, and a couple nights of no sleep, he finally managed to harden his Aura into physical constructs.

With this, he was able to create a blade made of pure aura, albeit while still looking like a flaming blade.

Something he would have to refine later on.

But the result was his first technique: _The Soul Sabre_ …the blade that can cut anything.

His next attempt was to create a ranged sort of attack, one that would allow him to finally have more range capabilities. He initially had plans to create a bow and arrow from his aura but trying to create two separate constructs was too difficult for him at the moment, so he settled for something more basic. Something he remembered watching when he was a kid, a ranged energy blast.

His first attempt, however, blew up in his face…literally.

He had initially tried to force his aura outwards as an external force but had put too much pressure and blew himself back into a wall. He was lucky that Yang wasn't there, otherwise, he would never hear the end of her laughter.

But after a month of experimenting, he finally managed to develop the 'Aura Shot' as he called it. By summoning the same energy, he made last time, and channelling his aura outward he managed to create a long-range shot of aura. The damage was dependent on how my aura he would place into the attack.

Too little did nothing, too much would blast a hole right through the stone wall, but severely drain his reserves.

He had other ideas to improve his ranged abilities, but for now, he had a way to attack from a distance.

From that, he was also able to develop the 'Repulsion' technique; where he channelled his aura into his palm and release a large burst of aura that could force others away from him. The repulsion was strong enough to throw a large stone boulder 20 Metres, depending on the weight of the target.

His next technique involved coating his arm in an extra thick layer of aura and acting like a blade itself. But could be also used a temporary extra shield. He called it, Armament. He got the idea from a comic he read a while back about a man who could do this but with lightning around his arm.

He often did wonder what would happen if he mixed his new techniques with Dust, but since there was no Dust in the Valley, he would have to make do with what he had.

Soul Sabre, Aura Shot, Repulse and Armament.

These four little techniques he created were more than he ever had in his entire life as a huntsman. They were the result of his hard work, pure determination and his undying drive to make it out of this valley and make it back to his friends.

However, he had come across some slight problems. Mainly the forest draining his aura.

Due to the forests unnatural ability to drain his aura, he was limited to the number of uses he could use his new powers. For example; he could only use the Soul Sabre two times before the blade would disappear. Aura Shot became limited to 10 metre before dissipating and the Repulse technique weakened him due to him actively pushing his aura out of his body and was limited to one shot only.

Armament was less affected by the drain, but he could only use that move three times sparingly.

He theorised that he could use them more if he were to get out of the Valley, as he had no such trouble in the temple. Another reason for him to get out of here so that he could continue developing these new powers of his.

He breathed in a calming breath as he wiped away the sweat off his brow. "Boy, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. But then again, Vale wasn't built in a day I suppose." He sat down as he took a swig of his water sack.

He looked over to the large mural that had been both an inspiration and a mystery to the boy for the past four months.

"When I get back, I definitely know Doctor Oobleck will want to have a look at this. Good thing I happen to be pretty good at art…really need to thank Saphron for those lessons, she always was the better artist." He opened his journal to the sketches of the Mural and painstaking detail and the other drawings of the animals and Grimm he had encountered in the forest.

He stopped when he came across some sketches he made of his friends as he managed to redraw them all from memory. Which was actually very good and well detailed. The smiling faces of his friends warming his heart as seeing their faces always motivated him to try harder.

"You know…I wonder what everyone will think when I make it back? Surprised more than likely, angry for not getting back sooner and happy, I hope, that I made it back in one piece. Pyrrha will be super protective I can bet, Ren will probably just nodded and give me thanks and Nora…I'm pretty sure she is going to break my back when she hugs me?"

A small scenario playing in his head as a small version of him was being hugged by a small version of Nora as she held the mini-Jaune in a hug that snapped his back in half.

"Eep…As for Team RWBY…probably the same thing from Ruby. That girl hauls around a large scythe, she's stronger then she looks. Yang might give me a punch in the face for making Ruby cry, Blake might just say that's she's glad to see me alive and Weiss…" he paused when he got to Wiess the supposed 'Girl of his Dreams'.

"Huh…you know, it's funny. I haven't actually thought about Wiess like that in a while? I thought I'd still be in love with her or something? But…well, I still like her but…not in _that way…_ weird? Anyway, she may just say, Welcome back Arc, glad to see you didn't die…well, maybe a bit nicer? Who knows, she may have changed after all these months." He sighed as he thought about his family.

"As for my family…I know mum and dad are going to relived and no doubt cause a ruckus trying to get me to leave Beacon. But hopefully, that won't be the case."

He looked over to his food reserves as he noticed they were low.

"Hmm…Food's getting a little low…Need to go hunting. Who knows, might run into that family of wolves again? They seem nice for some reason." He grabbed his coat, placed his makeshift weapons in their sheaths and quickly exited the cave. He looked up to the sky as the sun was directly overhead.

"Sun's directly overhead…not a lot of Grimm should be out by now, won't cause too many problems." He carefully walked through the forest as he searched the ground for any tracks of boar or deer.

In the four months since Jaune had been in the forest, he had learnt much in the ways of survival. Most of them being from camping experience to trials and errors he made during his days in the valley. He learnt how to tracks different kinds of animals more effectively, learned to craft certain kinds of bait using fish, deer and berries that he found in the forest to catch better prey. He even learned how to suppress his negative emotions to remain undetected by the Grimm.

Which usually just involved mentally reciting his grandfather's words.

Yes, Jaune had truly grown as a Huntsman ever since he fell into this godforsaken place. He even managed to somehow make friends with a family of wolves – the Dire Wolves he met at the creek – as the pup kept pestering him for food.

Which usually meant Jaune had one less fish or deer leg for lunch.

Course there was always the mother within eyesight, making sure Jaune did nothing to the pup, as she would watch over him getting acquainted with the human. Strangely the wolf mother reminded him of his partner, especially how she was always extra protective of her pup.

He got along well with the family though, even got to pet the mother and pup when they passed each other in the forest. And the pup would always wag its tail happily whenever it met Jaune, even resting near their den when he stumbled across it two weeks back.

Sure, being in the forest was still a fight for survival and there were plenty of times he nearly lost his life. But the boy was surviving, he would make it through this trial.

He looked up to the sky and smiled. "I've got a plan, just a few more tweaks and I'll be out of this hell hole in no time." A bird flew by into the sky almost symbolically as he believed it was a sign. He was going to make it.

"You know, I wonder what the others are doing right now?"

* * *

Beacon Academy – Shooting Range

* * *

Silver eyes locked on to dark shape as a young maiden sat prone on the ground. Her hands steady, her mind clear and her aim. Impeccable. The gun cracked like thunder and the dark shape exploded into a fine dust of cardboard and wood chippings.

Ruby peered out of her scope as she observed the damage to the Grimm cut out as she nodded and cocked back her rifle, ejecting the casing inside.

"Not bad, I think your aim was a little off to the left though." Ruby turned to Weiss as she peered through her binoculars.

"You think that about everyone's shots. Not everyone is perfect, Weiss." Yang remarked as she leaned against the wall.

"I know. But it doesn't hurt to try." Yang, Blake and Ruby rolled their eyes and aimed again.

Team RWBY was in the shooting range of Beacon Academy as Ruby wanted to improve on her marksmanship and needed a spotter with her. Not that she normally used a spotter, but ever since Jaune had 'died' she rather have someone with her than be alone.

Not that any of their friends wanted to be alone.

"A lot has changed since the Edge, huh?" Ruby asked as she looked over to her team.

Weiss had changed her outfit, no longer sporting the coat she wore of her dress, instead of a short, glittering dress with the colour gradation of blue to pale blue at the hem, a sweetheart neckline and a white tulle petticoat.

A white ribbon wrapped multiple times around her waist, and over the outfit is worn a slightly sheer long-sleeved blue shrug fastened at the collar with a large sapphire broach that has three pendants dangling from it. Completing her attire are dark blue wedge heels and sapphire drop earrings.

Printed on the back of the shrug, of course, was the Schnee Crest.

Yang was shown wearing a tan jacket with orange lining and gold edging, unzipped halfway to show an orange crop top. The coat has darker brown short sleeves, a thick collar that completely encircles her neck, and two long gold-trimmed rectangular tails. Around her hips and over the tails of her coat is a brown belt, which has two pieces of dark brown material trimmed in gold attached to it.

The first covers from her left hip to the back of the belt and are folded over the belt, and the second is attached from the right hip and almost around to the other piece of material. She wore knee high brown boots with gold caps on the heel and toe, with the heel cap attaching to a gold strap across the front of her ankle and a gold zipper on the upper half of the front of the boots.

A single small buckled strap is on the upper outside of her boots, and a purple bandana tied around her left knee. A pair of black fingerless gloves with long brown cuffs reaching to mid forearm complete the outfit.

Blakes design featured a long white tailcoat with dark grey lining and a sleeveless black crop top. The crop top has rectangular and diamond-shaped cut-outs around the neckline. Additionally, she wore a white belt over black fitted pants. Across her torso is a diagonal strap that contains a smaller magnetic clip used to sheathe Gambol Shroud.

She wore thigh-high black heeled boots with gold-coloured edging around the top. The left boot has a belt wrapped twice around the thigh. Each boot bore her belladonna emblem in white on the outer side of the thigh, and a white pouch attached to the back of her belt

"You mean other than our clothes?" Blake commented as Ruby nodded as she looked to her own attire.

Her new design sported a white high-neck décolletage blouse with brown studded wristbands on the arms. It retained the use of a black skirt with a red tulle underneath, somewhat similar to her Original outfit, but her waist clincher had been replaced with an overbust corset with red strip holding it in place.

A black belt bordered in red holds the magnetic clip for Crescent Rose and its ammunition. She also has brown straps on her blouse that allow her to wear a small brown backpack.

But the most obvious was the small metal chest plate on her chest, similar to Jaune's old one.

"Yeah, other than our clothes…" she peered down the scope again.

The next cut-out was the shape of an Ursa as she fired and blasted a hole straight through its forehead. A nevermore moved across the tracks as clipped its cardboard wings. A small Boarbatusks, right in the gut. A Creeper, straight in the mouth. A Beringel-!

Four sets of eyes widened as they stared at the Gorilla shaped Grimm cut-out as it rolled on the tracks. Wiess's hand began to shake as she and the others stared at a replica of the same creature that killed Jaune. Ruby looked over to her partner as she gently placed a hand on her own in a comforting manner.

"I…Thanks…" her voice small and timid as Yang placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I just still can't believe Jaune's…gone…"

"We know, it's okay…we miss him too…we still can't believe it happened either. It still…insane." Yang held her head down as she shook her head. "I kind of regret calling him Vomit-Boy before he died, he was actually a really good guy. A dork and a terrible flirt, but a good guy. I just can't even imagine what Pyrrha is going through…I mean…she did like him after all, maybe we should have helped them get together instead of letting him chase Weiss for so long," Weiss nodded sadly at this.

"Tell me about it, but it wasn't our place to tell something personal. And maybe I should have been a bit more… _gentler_ with my rejections.

Blake nodded as she thought of the boy. "I never really knew Jaune all that well, we never really had much to talk about., But he was a good guy." Blake said as she leaned against the wall. "The one thing I can say about him is that I was glad there were people like him that didn't judge people based on their…heritage." The top of her bow twitched slightly as they all nodded at the message.

"He was willing to make new friends, even if he didn't know them…" Ruby smiled sadly.

"He was my first friend when I came here, didn't even care that I was two years younger than him. He really helped me get over my nervousness the first day I came here, even though he was probably more nervous than I am…he was a good friend." Yang placed her arm around her sister as she comforted the small girl.

Weiss held her head down as she thought back to the exact moment he was thrown into the valley.

"I should have been able to help, I could have saved him after he jumped in the damn thing. He gave his life to save mine…and all I ever did was give him the cold shoulder." Yang held her tongue at the opportunity to crack a pun as even she didn't feel like making light of his passing.

"Weiss, you have to stop blaming yourself for what happened to Jaune. Pyrrha even said it wasn't your fault." Ruby tried to comfort her friend as she shook her head.

"That may be, but the point is I still should have tried to do something, anything, to help him. But I didn't…and he died because of me."

"We all could have done something Weiss, anyone of us could have done something to help him. But we have to face the facts that what happened was out of our control." Yang said as she crossed her arms.

"Yang's right, there's no point focusing on what had happened, we just need to keep moving forward and make sure that it never happens again." Ruby finished as the rest of her team nodded and stared at the Grimm that took away their friend.

Never knowing that the one they thought was gone, was more alive than ever.

* * *

The Black Forest

* * *

Jaune trudged his way back to camp, a large stack of fish on his back as he carefully avoided the traps he placed. His mind still working on new ways to escape the valley as they slowly formed into a cohesive plan.

"That could work, but I need to work on my technique for a little longer. But that could definitely work, just need to stay alive long enough to make it happen." He stopped to look up at the sky as the sun slowly began to set and bathe the forest in a hue of orange and red. And dark clouds forming in the sky.

"Need to get back to camp, the Grimm will be out soon. But it looks like it will rain, means fresh water for me." He turned his way back to camp ready to sleep for another night…

Until a distant howl caught his ear as he turned his head to the deepest part of the forest.

The many months he spent in this forest allowed him to easily identify the different calls of animals. He instantly knew it was not a Grimm, Beowolves howled differently from regular wolves, and wolves only ever cry out if they are in trouble or summon their pack.

Besides, this wasn't a just a regular wolves cry…it was one of pain.

He instantly dropped his catch as he sprinted through the forest towards the Wolves Den. A sick feeling in his stomach as he ran as fast as his legs could carry. A particular family of wolves' resonating in his head as he feared the worst.

"Okay! Okay Stay calm, the Grimm don't usually attack regular animals! They don't need to eat unless they want to, and they don't start fights unless it was over territory and the Wolves here have no reason to give them trouble! Unless…it had something to do with me?! Shit!"

He sprinted faster as the trees became a blur to him. The familiar winding path to the Den.

His heart hammering in his chest, as he feared for the only forms of companionship, being taken away by the beasts of darkness. He could not stand to let something like that happen. The sound of growling and howling became louder as drew closer to the den. Almost stopping in dread when he heard the painful whine of a wolf, similar to the ones he would hear from the dogs back him.

He burst through the canopy of the forest…

His pupils shrunk and his heart stopped as he stared at the carnage he saw.

Angry Blue eyes and White fur stained with red glared at three large beasts of darkness as the Father-Wolf shakenly held itself upon its four legs. Cuts and scratches lined its body as it growled and breathed painfully while it stood protectively in front of its mate.

The red fur of the mother wolf lay still upon the ground. The ground stained with her blood as she desperately curled around a small whimpering form.

The father growled and barked as it tried to scare away the three Beowolves. But the Grimm were not scared as they almost seemed to laugh at the poor attempt of bravery. The Father lunged as it tried to sink its teeth into the largest of the three. It mattered little as the Beowulf merely swatted the father away with its claws and slammed it into a tree.

A painful yelp escaping its body as it fell to the floor.

The mother painfully growled and barked as it curled itself closer to the small form of its pup. The pup itself had a cuts and bruises on its body as it lay still, but alive, next to its mother. The Grimm's teeth clashed within the fading light of the sun as they slowly moved towards the defeated family.

Jaune merely stared at the blood that stained the ground and the still form of the White Wolf as his heartbeat echoed in his ear. His vision blurring as the Grimm became shapes and blurs of black and red with sharp white teeth.

His hands shaking as the dying mother curled around her cub. His teeth clenched as the pups scared eyes stared back at him with the same emotions he felt since he fell into the abyss and instantly knew what the little pup wanted...

Help

A deep growl resonated in his chest before he roared in fury and charged at the beasts. No plan, no idea what he should do to get out of this in one piece. All he could think of was killing the bastards that hurt his friends.

All he could feel was rage.

Soul Sabre instantly took shape in his hand as he charged at the beasts who turned to face him. His blade swinging through the air as it dismembered the creature's right arm. The Beowulf howling in pain as smoke billowed out of its stump.

The two others growled as the boy turned back and glared at him, the blade of aura in his hands as its light shone in the fading light of the forest. The two Grimm roared as they pounced upon the boy, but instead, he dispelled the blade and thrust his hands forward and released a powerful shock of aura that repulsed the creatures away and smashed them into the trees.

The two Grimm were momentarily stunned as the boy charged at the closest Grimm and poured his aura into his hand and held it an inch away from its face. The Grimm only had seconds to respond before Jaune glared into its eyes.

"Eat this!" he yelled as the entire head of the one-armed Beast was decimated into nothing as his aura shot ripped right through the Grimm and the tree behind it. Its headless body slumping to the floor as he turned around and glared at the last two Grimm.

His sword reappearing in his hand as the two Grimm growled and roared at the boy who merely held up his blade in defence as they came running at him. But Jaune merely held his ground as the beast pounced at him, his blade swinging as he carved the two in half.

One Grimm cut in half as both halves landed side by side of him.

While the last one only lost an arm and a leg as it tumbled behind the boy.

Jaune slowly turned to face the Grimm as it howled and whimpered in pain as he slowly trudged towards the Grimm. A cold and angry look in his eyes as the beast scrambled to run away. But a swift kick to its side rolled it over onto its back. He stared down at the Grimm as smoke billowed from its armless and legless stumps. It tried to swipe at the boy, but he merely swung his sword and severed its last arm.

The sword faded after that, having reached its limit.

The beast roared angrily before it howled in pain as Jaune struck the beast straight in the chest. His aura coating his arm and turning it from a limb of flesh and bone to as sharp and strong as a spear. He reached deep into its chest as he could almost feel its beating heart.

"What do you know, Grimm do have a Heart…"

He reached in and grabbed it as the Beowulf roared in pain and with one pull he ripped what looked like a blood-red heart with veins of black and red before he crushed it in his hand.

"But you won't need it anymore"

The beast fell dead to the floor as the forest was drowned in silence.

The sky above him darkened as the rain began to gently fall upon the earth before crashing down in a shower. Jaune's body and clothes soaked in the rain as his eyes lost their rage and morphed into sadness.

A small whine forced him to look over to the father wolf as it slowly and painfully crawled its way to its mate. The mother wolf whimpering as well as her mate drew closer, blood dragging across the ground as the father pulled itself beside her.

The father nuzzled the mother as blood still pooled around their bodies. Jaune slowly walked over before he kneeled down to the family. His eyes roaming over their bodies as he knew that there was nothing he could do for the parents. Their wounds were too severe and wouldn't last another minute.

He kneeled down to them as his hand landed in their blood as he looked at his now stained hand. Stained with the blood of his only friends in this place. He lowered his head to the ground as if begging the pair to forgive him.

"I…I'm sorry…It's all my fault...I-I got you into this…they wouldn't have attacked you if I wasn't here…I can't do anything to help you I…I'm so sorry…" he cried as their blood-stained his hair.

The two wolves, despite their pain, neither growled or threatened the boy as they looked at him and then their pup. Both looked to one another as they knew what had to be done. Slowly and painfully the mother nuzzled the pup in its chest as she slowly pushed the injured pup to the boy. He looked back shocked and confused as they both looked the boy in the eye. The message was clear…

'Please…take care of our child'.

He wanted to argue to tell them that it was a bad idea to leave their child with him. But when he looked in their eyes all he could see was desperation and beseeching. He knew then he couldn't say no, not now, not after everything he'd been through. He nodded sadly as he picked up the small pup and placed it in his arms.

"I promise…I will protect him." For a moment, he could have sworn he saw them smile…

Before their heads fell softly and their breath's ceased.

Silence reigned over the forest as Jaune stared at the two bodies of the wolf family as his heart ached. The rain cascading down his form that it was impossible to tell if he was crying or not. But none so more than the small pup in his arms as he only managed to wake one eye and make a pain-filled moan before falling unconscious.

Growls and howls echoed in the distance as Jaune knew more Grimm would come to avenge their pack.

He stood and turned to leave the forest, but not before casting one last gaze to the pair and vowing silently to give them a proper burial. But right now, he had to get their child to safety.

He could not fail them again.

He sprinted through the forest as he kept the small pup close to his chest and out of the pouring rain. The forest was pitch black that any normal human would have difficulty trying to find themselves in this place. But the many months he spent in this forest allowed Jaune to know it inside and out and could find his way in the dark.

He jumped over logs, weaved past the trees and ducked under overhanging branches. He looked behind him as red eyes followed in his wake. The Grimm were catching up to him and were ready to take a bite.

But Jaune was prepared as he passed one of his makeshift traps and cut a piece of a vine with his knife. A large branch held back by the vine with small wooden stakes tied around it swung out and struck the beasts in the chest as they hollered and screamed in pain.

He ducked as a large log came swinging and kicked two more away with broken bones and teeth.

The entrance to the temple insight as he leapt over the massive pitfall he made and landed inside just the last pursing Grimm fell and impaled itself upon its spikes.

He breathed in heavy breaths as the light of his campfire illuminated the temple with its light. He sighed in relief when the temples barrier kept the stragglers away and allowed him to take the moment to calm his nerves.

But that went out the window when the small pup coughed painfully as he shook himself and got to work to treat the small animal.

Over the months he had managed to gather an assortment of herbs and berries in the forest that was known to accelerate the healing process. He got to work mashing up the berries and herbs into a paste, while carefully cleaning and dressing the small animals' wounds.

The small animal moaning in pain as he applied the treatment.

"I'm sorry, I know this hurts but it should help…I hope" he looked out towards the forest as the rain continued to pour. Now all he had to do was wait beside the last survivor of the Dire Wolf.

* * *

Argus – Cotta-Arc Homestead

* * *

Saphron looked sadly at the photograph in her hand as she stared at the eight faces of her family, and the unamused face of her baby brother. The news of his death had been a heartbreak for the Arc Family, especially on Roland and Diana Arc. their mother had all but locked herself in his old room in order to drown herself in the memory of her only son, while their father had done nothing but train and fight since he heard the news.

Leaving the bar in the hands of their oldest sister.

She knew that they were blaming themselves for Jaune's death, denying him training for all those years. Their grandfathers' warnings echoing in their ears as they cursed themselves for not preparing their son when they had the chance.

Saphron herself was just as depressed as she looked over to the small child playing absent-mindedly with a toy plane.

She felt sadder knowing that her son would grow up without an uncle in his life, only knowing about him in photos and stories of his youth. He would miss out on surprise visits from 'Uncle Jaune', terrible advice that only an uncle can give and share in fond memories with his only other male relative.

Now, he would just be a photo on their wall and a name on the stone.

The door opened up as Terra walked into the home. "Honey, I'm home!" she called out as Adrien giggled and reached out for his mother who happily picked him up. She noticed the photo in her wife's hand as she sat down next to her.

"You miss him, don't you?" she asked as Saphron nodded.

"I just…I just can't believe he's really gone. First grandpa, then grandma and now Jaune? I always knew he wanted to be like our ancestors, grandpa would regale him constantly with tales of our family's legacy. He always was claimed he would be 'the Greatest Huntsman in the World'. But I honestly never thought he would actually go through with it. I just thought he would get tired of it and head back home to run the tavern…I just never accounted on the Arc Stubbornness being so prominent in him." Terra nodded.

"Well, it is a major attribute of all you Arcs, as I've noticed…"

Saphron gave her wife a deadpan expression before Terra placed a comforting arm around her. "But honestly, it's one of the best and most beautiful things I've noticed about your family, being selfless for other's sake. And from what his friends told us, Jaune gave his life to save the ones he cared about the most. Something anyone would be proud of, your family included." She placed a hand on top of her as she looked her in the eyes.

"The path that Jaune had taken was his own, and none of us can be held responsible for the decisions he made, no matter how much we believe it. But that doesn't mean that he would have regretted or blamed us for what happened. Jaune was his own man, and that was something we can be proud of in him. And even though he may be gone, that doesn't mean he'll ever be forgotten. So long as there are those that love him…" their fingers intertwined as Saphron and Terra smiled lovingly at each other.

"Thank you, Terra. I needed that." They leaned against each other as they held their son in their arms as he played with his toy.

A silent prayer shared between them as they hoped to whatever Gods were out there would watch over Jaune in his passing. If only they knew that he was alive and well. Struggling and growing stronger in a place where no one had survived before.

* * *

The Black Forest – Temple

* * *

Three days had passed since his battle with the Grimm in the Wolves Den as Jaune did everything in power to heal the young wolf cub. But as time passed the young wolf was growing weaker and weaker. His wounds still deep and his fever refusing to break as the small pup was growing less and less responsive.

During that time, he managed to get back to the Wolves Den and bury the two parents under a large tree by the riverbed, the same place he met them, with stone graves to mark their existence to the world. He thought it would be appropriate seeing as their meeting was what marked his discovery of his new aura powers.

But now he was left with their child, the small wolf cub that was clinging desperately to life.

Jaune cursed every time the small animal coughed and shivered. A clear sign of its failing health. He had tried everything to heal the small pup, but the small animal was not getting any better.

He was dying…and there was nothing he could do about it.

Jaune looked down sadly as he tried to get the small animal to feed on the water sack. But the small animal merely moaned in pain as the wounds at its side caused it great pain.

He softly stroked the small pup's fur as he hoped that in some way it would comfort the poor animal.

He could see that the animal was still fighting to stay alive, still trying to cling to life against the call of death. It reminded him of himself. How he had refused to give up, even with the odds stacked against him.

But right now, he just helpless watching the poor thing.

He leaned his back against the wall as he watched the animal breath in small shallow breaths. Each one followed by a small painful cough that reverberated loudly within the stone cavern. It ached his heart to see the animal suffering so much. He just wanted to take away its pain and make it all go away.

But he knew there was nothing he could do, even with his new powers.

"…Damn it…Damn it!" he kicked away a large stone as it bounced and crashed against the wall.

"What's the point of these new powers if I can't even save a single life!? Have I just been wasting my time on something so…so…worthless!?" he punched a wall with an aura coated fist as the temple nearly shook. A large imprint left behind as he felt his anger, grief and rage surging within him.

When he calmed down, he looked back to the small animal as it moaned and whimpered next to the fire pit.

His cast down to his hands as he wished that there was something, he could do to save the poor cub. Something to heal its wounds or take them on himself so that it would no longer suffer. But that's just how it was in life. The strong prevailed and the weak were slaughtered.

Such was the way of nature.

"…Bullshit."

He turned back to the wolf as he marched over and kneeled down beside the small animal. "I'm not going to let you die. I made a promise to your parents and I'm not going to fail them." He glared determined as he placed his hands over the small animal.

"All right listen up, whoever is listening up there. I'm not asking a lot, and not even enough, but please give me the power to save this little one's life." He looked up to the Mural as he glared at the images of the 'Gods'.

"I've been through a lot of shit since I got here. Nearly starved, nearly eaten and nearly lost my mind in this God forsook place…but the one good thing I found in this forest is the one thing I'm not going to let die. So, you either help me summon some divine bullshit that will help this innocent creature…or you can just go to hell and stay out of my way."

He glared at the 'Gods' before focused on the small animal. He closed his eyes as he concentrated on his aura, willing it to heal the small animal. But nothing happened as his hands failed to glow, not even when he chanted the words of his grandfather.

The small pup coughed as he cursed.

"Damn it! Okay think, I'm missing something. Something important, but what?" he looked at his hands and breathed a calming breath.

To this day Jaune still had no idea what exactly happened next. A strange gust of wind swept into the cave as it blew his journal off its stone ledge and landed on the floor right on his sketching of his friends. He stared at their faces and then to the wolf as he, for a moment, imagined it was one of them lying on the ground in front of him.

Something triggered Jaune that day as he felt a sudden course of energy flowing through his body. His arms illuminated once again with his aura as it rippled like water instead of flickering like flames.

He stared in awe as the aura slowly surrounded the tiny wolf and ripple across its body.

"I'm I…I'm healing his wounds…" But the aura's colour soon began to change around the wolf as it went from white to white with red outlines.

"No, I'm not healing his wounds…I'm…I'm giving him my aura. Is…Is this my…Semblance?" He stared but then focused as he continued to pour his aura into the wolf. Soon the aura died down as he slowly removed his arms and gazed upon the small animal in awe.

Every wound on its body was completely healed, not a single scratch or scar evident on its tiny body. Small eyes opened as the wolf cub looked up, looked at the side of its body and then at the human. It got up on shaky legs before it wagged its tail and barked happily.

Jaune himself sharing a laugh as not only had he saved the life of the small animal, but he did it with his own power. The power of his semblance.

It was that day that Jaune had discovered his Semblance. The power to amplify his aura and the aura of others by feeding them his raw aura. It would become a useful and powerful tool in the years to come. But like the powers he crafted himself, he needed to learn how to control it. To focus and harness his new powers.

But it also opened the door of possibility even wider.

He smirked as the small animal placed a happy paw on his leg as he affectionally rubbed its small head.

"You're a little fighter, aren't you?" the pup barked as he pondered. "Well don't worry, we are going to get out of this place. You and me, what do you say?" the wolf barked as he nodded. "Good boy…You know, I think I need to give you a name. I can't just call you wolf, now can I? Hmm…" he looked at the wolf as he tried to think of something.

"Oh! I know! I'll name you after one of those characters from the book my sister writes! What was it again, _Ninjas of Love_? Eh, not important. Anyway from now on your name will be…"

"…Fenrir the Lone Fighter…"

The Wolf titled its head before it barked in approval. He chuckled as he held up his arm and summoned his semblance as the water like ripples danced across his skin. He looked up at the mural once again before clenching his fist and shutting off his power.

But also opening his possibilities.

* * *

Omake: Jaune _finally_ figures it out

* * *

The small wolf – now named Fenrir – slept peacefully as it curled against Jaune's leg in his makeshift bed. A small smile plastered on Jaune's face before he laid back down and stared up at the ceiling as he felt truly happy.

Why wouldn't he be, he just unlocked his semblance and used it for the first time in…ever.

"My Semblance…I finally have my Semblance…shame that all it took to unlock it was being thrown into a Grimm infested forest with little chance of survival. Well, at least I got to use it the right way for the first time." He looked to Fenrir as the little puppy snored.

"You know, it's a little odd that I named him after those books sis writes. Then again, I'm talking to myself so who am I to judge? But I did have to proofread her work for her I guess it kind of just got into the habit of talking out loud. Talented as she is, she still has bad grammar skills. I think I remember seeing Blake reading one of those in the Library, what Volume was it? Oh yeah, Vol.2 the Oblivious Warrior." He chuckled little.

"I remember that one, it's about a warrior that has to fight a great evil but doesn't realise that his best friend is in love with him and doesn't find out until she kisses him straight on the lips. Heh, what an idiot…" if the universe could talk, it would say the exact something.

"You know it's funny, now that I think about it, Pyrrha kind of reminds me of the love interest, the one that has a huge crush on the main character. Not appearance-wise, obviously, more in the way the love interest acts around the main character. It's kind of like how Pyrrha is around me? Heh, but that's impossible because that would mean Pyrrha has a Cru-!" he stopped mid-sentence as he shot straight up with startled eyes.

"…Wait…" his mind running at a thousand miles a minute.

"Wait a minute…wait for a minute….no, no, no you're just overthinking things. T-There's no way that Pyrrha could have a c-c-c-crush on me. T-That's just impossible, you're just mixing up fiction with reality. That's the first sign of madness."He reasoned even as his eye twitched.

Fenrir woke up as he watched Jaune pace the room.

"O-okay let's just think about this calmly and rationally. Pyrrha just _reminds_ you of the love interest because they _seem similar._ But they don't have the same quirks and tendencies to indicate feelings for you. Yeah! Like for example she doesn't fidget or adjusts her clothes every time she's near you-!"

 _A memory of Pyrrha fidgeting and adjusting her clothes comes into his mind as Pyrrha sits next to Jaune in the study hall._

"…O-oaky maybe she does that, but that's nothing! She could just be tidying herself up! Also, she doesn't make an excuse to hang around you constantly?!"

" _H-Hey Jaune, I was wondering if you wanted to go see that new Spruce Willies Movie this Saturday? I have an extra ticket and wondered if you wanted to come?" Pyrrha shyly asks as she holds two tickets._

 _"Sure, let me just go ask the others if they want to come too?" he walks towards his friends as Pyrrha looks dejected._

"…Crap. Ah-Ah I know! I make bad Jokes! No one likes them! They're as bad as Yang's Puns! And She's never once laughed at-!"

" _And so, I said rutabaga, I hardly knew ya!" Pyrrha laughs while everyone else around him cringes at the joke, she beautifully laughs as she strokes back a lock of her red hair._

"…She uh…"

 _More memories of Pyrrha swarms his mind as she is either smiling at him, helping him during their training session and generally just being a really nice person to him. He even remembers the night he told her his secret and wanting to help him as she showed more support in his dreams than anyone in his own family and how warm he felt at that moment. It was that at this moment, after going through all the evidence that Jaune reached a logical conclusion._

"Pyrrha…has a _crush_ on _me_ …and I've didn't notice…"

The boy stared at the wall as Fenrir looked concerned for the boy who just stared with dull eyes. Outside in the forest around the temple, everything is peaceful and quiet as every animal is sleeping within their wooden burrows.

"...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The animals startled by this ran for their lives as every animal ran panicking at the noise, even the Grimm looked shocked and startled by the very loud and stress-filled noise that it resonated and echoed within the valley walls and carried off into the wind.

Pyrrha stared sadly at the moonlight sky as the rest of her friends looks sadly at her downtrodden expression. Ren finally makes the first move as he walks over to the girl. "Pyrrha?" the girl looks at him with tired eyes.

"I know your sad that Jaune is gone, but you can't keep doing this to yourself, it's not what he would've wanted." She nodded slightly as she looks back to the world.

"I know Ren, but I just miss him so much. It's hard to believe sometimes and I keep hoping that he's alive out there somewhere and waiting for us. But I know that's not possible." She chuckled a little as she moved her ear to the wind.

"It's funny, sometimes I can still hear him in the wind?"

"….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The others look around weirdly while Pyrrha just listens contently at the noise. "That's weird, I feel like I can almost hear him too?" Nora said as everyone looked around for the noise.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ozpin looked up from his report as the noise echoed even up to his tower. "Miss Goodwitch, what is that noise?" Glynda looks strangely as well as she shrugs her shoulders.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Deep within the Forever Falls Forest Adam and his men look up to the noise as it stretches far into their camp. "Who the heck is making that noise!?" he yells as he holds his ears in pain.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Qrow wakes up from his drunken stupor as the yells continue into the realm of Anima. "What the hell is that noise?" he asks groggily. "It almost sounds like Tai when he found out that Summer had a crush on him?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Saphron and Terra look up at the noise as well. "What the heck is that?" She asked while Adrien just giggled.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Maria Calavera looks up as she adjusts her prosthetic eyes when she heard the loud yell coming from the distance and messing up with her sensors.

"I Got to get these things checked." She taps the goggles as the shutters flicker.

Deep within the Grimm infested lands, Salem and her acolytes gather around the table as they plot their next move. "The Vytal Festival is about to begin in three months' time. Cinder is already in place and will upload the virus once she slips away from the Beacon Dance. Then she will continue as planned to claim the rest of the Maidens power and bring us the Relic of Choice-!?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The four of them all look up as the yell echoes within the stone walls of her castle as Arthur, Hazel, Tyrian and Salem look up confused at the long and clearly frustrated yell.

"Arthur, what the heck is that noise?" Salem demands as the man shrugs his shoulders.

"That sounds like a man who's just realised something apparently obvious to everyone else?" Tyrian said as Hazel shook his head.

"Shame"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The yell continues out on as two massive beings in a completely different realm look up at the noise and back to the earth they abandoned long ago.

 _ **"…Brother, do you hear that?"**_ the God of Darkness asks as the God of light nodded.

" _I feel that."_

In a room outside the multiverse a young red-haired looking man in a blood-red hoodie and dark grey armour, stood before another man with snow-white hair, amethyst eyes and a scar across his face and one at his throat as they were discussing what to do with the next viewing session for the Remnant group.

"So, I think for the next viewing session that we include Maria Calavera so that she can help Ruby control her power-!?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Void…Void do you hear that? Oh God, it's my ex-wife! Leave me alone, you already took the kids! What more do you want!?" Mass yelled as Void just stared at the man.

"Mass, you know who it is so quit it…also, you're not married…or have kids?" Mass shrugged as he grinned at his timeless friend.

"I know, I've just always wanted to say that." he stuck a finger in his mouth and held it up as if checking the wind. "But its sounds like Jaune of Earth – 13151411 finally figured out that Pyrrha has a Crush on him." Void snorted at this.

"About time,"

Back in the forest on Earth – 13151411, Jaune lay curled up in his fur blankets as his hands covered his beet-red face. "I'm such a fucking idiot…" Fenrir gave the human a deadpan look before it shrugged and went back to sleep.

It was that Day Jaune swore that he would make it back to Pyrrha and confront her about her feelings for him. Even if he had to claw his way out this God-forsaken place.

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter IV of Legend if the White Wolf, tell me what you think and leave a review in the box below. Now the next chapter will officially start Jaune's journey to get back to Beacon. He has a plan to get back and is set on getting there.**

 **I'm planning on basing the powers off Naruto, a little bit of Bleach and the Witcher. I hope it is to everyone's liking. Now also, the only reason he has a limit is that of the forest, once he leaves, he'll have full access to his new powers.**

 **Also, I'm well aware that Grimm disappear when they die and we don't know if they have organs, but I would think any creature has organs, and I just wanted to make that scene cooler and more emotional.**

 **Also, I decided to call the wolf pup Fenrir as a suggestion from Adro-sama and named after the Norse Mythological Wolf that can kill a God with its fangs. I also hope people like that little Omake at the end, it's been on my mind for a while. I was thinking of that Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode where Peralta is in solitary and starts to go a little stir crazy.**

 **But I think I'll save that for next time. Also, the earth is named 13151411 because that is its list in the URL.**

 **And a shout out to my buddy Void or Sixsamchaos for letting me use his cameo in my story and hope you all read his Paths of the Arc. It's good.**

 **Now that Jaune has his new weapons and friend he must prepare to leave that wretched place and make it home to his friends. So, stay tuned for the next chapter in…**

 **Chapter V: Freedom from the Black Forest – title subject to change.**


	5. Chapter V: Escape from the Dark

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N a shout out to '** **TooLazyToLogIn' for the chapter title. Honestly, it was a lot better than what I had. So, thank you.**

 **And another thank you to Sixsamchaos for his reactions to my stories.**

* * *

Chapter V – Escape from the Dark

* * *

The early morning sun rose upon the sleeping forest as creatures and animals of all shapes and sizes woke to the morning suns rays. Birds chirping as two figures crouched low to the ground as Jaune and the small wolf – Fenrir – searched the ground for tracks.

Fenrir sniffed the ground as it searched for the scent of the animal it was hunting. It caught the scent as it barked to the hood covered young man.

"Good boy," Jaune patted the small wolf as they tracked the deer deeper into the forest.

They gazed around as they searched the forest for their prey and stopped when they spotted a lone deer grazing in the middle of a field. Jaune pulled out his bow and arrow as he silently gestured to the small wolf.

Fenrir nodded as it silently crept around the large deer. Jaune placed the arrow in its rest as he pulled back on the string. He whistled as the Deer's head shot up and started to bolt. But before it could go anywhere, Fenrir ran out and barked at the Deer causing it to halt in its tracks. Followed swiftly by an arrow to the head as the animal fell to the forest floor.

Fenrir wagged his tail happily as Jaune approached their prey and patted the small animal.

"Good boy," he praised as the wolf barked happily.

He got to work harvesting what he needed from the carcass as he stripped the animal of its flesh for food, its fur for clothes and its antlers for improving his bow as he placed them in his rucksack.

"Come on Fen, let's go home." The wolf barked in agreement as the two left the field.

It had been five months since Jaune had fallen into the Black Forest and two months since he rescued Fenrir from the pack Beowolves that had taken his family. In that time Jaune had managed to refine and improve his control over both his Aura techniques and his Semblance. Now he was able to conjure more streamline constructs.

Crafting a proper sword from his aura – similar in shape to Crocea Mors – as well as a few other new constructs, thanks to his semblance that amplified his own abilities.

His semblance – which he dubbed Aura Amplification – gave him the ability to amplify his own abilities by flooding them with raw Aura.

He could now create stronger barriers, increase his own physical strength and speed, and also improved the intensity of his constructs so that they wouldn't break. He even managed to increase the usage off all his techniques in the forest by an extra two turns.

However, the forest still drained him at an accelerated rate, even with his semblance, but it was more manageable.

During that time Jaune had also formed a deeper bond with the wolf pup Fenrir.

Seeing as the pup had no family left in the forest, and would most likely wouldn't survive long by itself, Jaune had decided to take the small creature in. Together they learned to hunt together, fight together and survive together.

There were days that Jaune could tell that he missed his family. Days where the young pup would look out into the direction of its old home and howl at the moon.

Jaune felt sorry for the young pup. But he knew eventually the pain would ebb away, just it did when his grandfather died.

That didn't mean it wouldn't still hurt.

"We got a good catch today boy, with this…we should be ready to leave soon." The young pup barked as they entered the cavern.

He briefly looked over his bow as leather, deer antlers and feathers reinforced the bow, which accented beautifully with the black wood from which it was crafted with. Small patterns and markings etched the length of the bow as Jaune had some free time to carve some more detail into his bow.

After sorting the meat and feeding the small pup its share of the take, Jaune ran a hand through his hair that now reached to just his shoulders as the months he spent kept his hair unkempt. He stripped off his coat and shirt as his body was revealed to be toned and conditioned from the constant acts of surviving in the forest. Scar also riddled his body as the four scratch marks still lined his back, with the ones on his right arm, one he got from a Beowulf on his left leg and one on his eyebrow.

He then got into his usual routine of exercise to keep his body in shape.

Sit-ups pull-ups, squats and handstand push-ups. He had to do this in order to keep himself fit and ready in case a Grimm ever attacked. With all his physical changes the boy almost looked like a seasoned huntsman now.

After he was done exercising, he walked over to an unoccupied part of the wall as he gazed upon a 'map' of the entire forest. Granted it was basically made of his own investigations of the forest, and written on stone with charcoal, but it was a fairly accurate depiction of the valley he was trapped in.

He chewed on some of the jerkies he made as he his fingers brushed against the well-made plan.

It had taken Jaune months to figure a proper way to get out of this forest. He knew that the best time to leave would be early in the morning, right when the Grimm would hide away from the sun and when they were at their weakest. He also concocted some 'bait' he found attracted the Grimm. Like the sap that grew in the Forever Falls forest.

The trees here produced a similar substance that when combined with meat and blood from animals he harvested would lure them.

Yesterday he placed these baits at certain locations so that the stragglers wouldn't notice him making his way to the rendezvous point. But the Grimm always had a way to track him, there was no getting around that. But at least this way there wouldn't be so many after him when he made his escape.

During his stay, he also finally discovered what lurked within the forest and drained his aura. A creature that looked almost human and seemed to shrug off most weapons. If Jaune had known what the creature was, he would have learned that it was an _Apathy_.

A type of Grimm that had the ability to drain the will and aura from a person and made them weak.

They were slow but tough as Jaune had found out the hard way when he decided to prep his escape plan last night. Which earned him a new scar on his left arm. Had it not been for Fenrir distracting the thing, he would've lost his life.

It was a good thing that the 'Apathy' couldn't get through the barrier like the other Grimm, nor did it seem that its ability to drain aura could get through either. But the problem was it wasn't just the one Apathy…

The whole forest was infested with them.

The only reason Jaune never saw them before was that they liked dark places and tried their best to avoid the light at all possible. Which was why they preferred the night as opposed to the day.

Jaune theorised that, like any other Grimm, there must be a larger one hidden somewhere in the valley and powerful enough to drain him anywhere in the forest. It was only because of his strong will to get out of here and his new ability to store his aura did he survive as long as he had.

But the fact still remained, he had to get out of here.

"Maybe they are why no one gets out of here? They give up and…just let them kill them." He shook his head. "But I'm not giving up, I've got too much to get back to, a lot of things to answer to…" He blushed slightly.

"Especially Pyrrha."

Yeah, there was also the fact that during his stay – and after naming Fenrir – Jaune realised that his partner had a crush on him. A crush that she had since becoming his partner. Something that Jaune kicked himself about for the past two months…

And unknowingly broke the space-time barrier.

But all that did was motivate him to get back sooner. Which needed to be soon, Autumn was fast approaching and soon it would be Winter when the cold would set in. Not to mention that the Vytal Festival would be around shortly. Every Huntsman in training would be there, including his team.

He needed to get back for his team.

"I've been thinking it over, tomorrow is when we leave. We can't stay here anymore. Especially if there are any more of those… _things_ …out there." The small wolf looked up as the young man turned to him. "What do you think?"

Fenrir barked and nodded his head as the boy smiled. "That's what I thought." He looked back to the map as he chewed on the meat. "Big day tomorrow…big day."

* * *

Gilded Arc Tavern

* * *

The thunk of an axe resonated in the forest as Roland Arc chopped up some wood for the fire. His brow laced with sweat as he hefted the axe and chopped again. His mind busy as he kept chopping the wood over and over again, almost becoming rhythmic.

He paused as he looked back to the house and the window that peered into his son's old room.

He could see the faint outline of his wife as she kept herself locked within the room. She hadn't done much since Jaune's funeral nearly five months ago. His daughters had tried to get her out of the house, but she just refused to leave.

He knew why she was feeling this way, it was the same thing he was going through. Grief and guilt over the death of their only son.

Roland…Roland had been cursing himself ever since he got the news of his death.

The horror and shock that both parents felt that day nearly tore them apart. His wife…Diana…she couldn't stop screaming. She cried and screamed for days and when she met Ozpin, she all but cursed his name. Roland himself had nearly attacked the man in grief.

But deep down they both knew it wasn't his fault that Jaune died and the words of his father resonating in their ears over and over again nearly drove them insane, or worse yet the drink. Despite that, both parents knew that he still needed to look after their family. They needed to keep his head straight, no matter how much his heart ached.

But deep inside Roland wondered if his wife blamed him for the death of their son because they had both denied him the training he needed to survive. He wondered if she hated him now as neither of them had slept in the same bed for months.

A rift was slowly forming between them…and it was getting wider.

Roland sighed as he placed his axe against the stump and sat down. He rubbed his hands across his face as he breathed out all the stress in his body. But it did little to shake his grief.

He looked up to the sky as he laced his fingers.

"Father…I'm not sure if you can hear me, but you were right…we should've prepared him, we should have trained him to be ready…But I-I let my fear of what happened to our home keep me from seeing the truth, that Jaune would always follow his own path, no matter what we would've done to stop him." He breathed in and rubbed his hands together.

"Because of me…because of me my son is dead…you were right, you were right all along, and I let it happen. I-I thought I'd be strong enough to keep him safe, to keep my family safe…but…but now I don't know what to do? What should I do?"

Nothing happened as the man sighed and hung his head.

A small twig snapped as the man spun around and reached for his axe, expecting it to be a Grimm.

Instead of a Grimm however, there was a lone wolf, with fur as white as snow and eyes as sharp and blue like sapphires.

Roland stared at the wolf as it slowly walked towards him before it sat before the man. Roland stared cautiously before the wolf gestured its head towards his home. He turned to where he was facing as he only saw the window of their sons' room.

Confused he turned back to the wolf, only find that it was gone.

"What the?" he looked around but found no trace or trail of the wolf as if it merely vanished into thin air.

He looked back to his home before he stared determinedly.

Entering them home he had a brief memory of a young Jaune running around with his wooden sword, and his grandfather laughing as they played Huntsman. He breathed a calming breath as he ascended the stairs to Jaune's room. He stood before the wooden door as his hand raised to knock.

His hand froze as fear and doubt raised itself in his chest. But he steeled himself and knocked.

"…Diana? …Can I come in, please?" the hall was silent as the man waited on bated breath.

A small click made him jump as he slowly opened the door. He paused as he looked into the room. Jaune's favourite comics on the floor, his clothes that he never picked up and the posters he collected from the Pumpkin Pete Cereal box.

He then cast his gaze towards the bed as Diana sat upon its sheets. A black hoodie held in her hands as she hung her head. Her hair frazzled and unkempt as it shaded her face from the world. Roland carefully walked forward as he sat beside her. An awkward silence drifting between them as none of them knew what to say.

"…Diana...I'm...I'm sorry..." Roland said as he hung his head. "I'm so, so sorry…" Diana didn't move as he talked.

"It's my fault our son is dead. If I had trained him as father said, then he'd still be alive. I talked you into keeping our son from becoming a huntsman because I was afraid…afraid of what would happen if he followed in my ancestors' footsteps." He choked back a cry as he gripped his pants. "My father was right…I should have prepared him, I should have known he would go against our wishes and you have every right to be angry me…I killed our son…I killed our only boy…" he breathed in a sob as he dared not look at his wife.

"If you want to blame me, I understand…I just want to say I'm sorry…for failing our family…"

When she said nothing, he sighed and got up to leave. But not before a hand grasped his own and he looked back.

Diana gripped his hand as her hair covered her face from his view. Slowly she looked towards him with tears stained eyes and a remorseful expression on her face. She gently pulled the man down as she embraced her husband.

He slowly embraced her as he cried on her shoulder. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" he cried as tears stung at his face. Diana too had tears in her eyes as she held her husband.

"I don't blame you, Roland…I could never blame you… I too chose not to train Jaune, so it's just as my fault as it is yours…" she rubbed his back as she rested on the nook of his neck.

"But I-!"

"We both thought that it would be best to keep him from that life. But in trying to keep our son safe, we only pushed him into further danger... Cornelius was right, and we should have trained him, and we have to live with that for the rest of our lives..." She slowly moved away from him as both parents stared into each other's eyes.

"I'm still hurting, and I know the pain will never go away…but seeing you suffer has made me realise that wallowing in grief and sadness is not going to bring Jaune back." She brushed a small tear from his eye and cupped his cheek as she smiled sadly at the man she loved.

"What we have to do now is be there for our children, and make sure it never happens again." Roland placed a hand on hers and leaned into its warmth.

"And here I thought I was supposed to be comforting you?"

"Please Roland, you were always the more sensitive of us. It's why you always cry during those romance movies." He chuckled slightly as he held his wife.

The grieving parents slowly got up as they left their son's room. A brief glance back before they slowly closed the door on the room of their only son. Both of them vowing that they would never let rest of their children fall to the same fate. If they had the chance they would've differently. But you can't change what's already happened, you can only keep moving forward.

Which is also what Jaune was doing right now.

* * *

The Black Forest

* * *

Daybreak hadn't appeared yet as the sky was still dark with only shades of pink and orange lighting the sky. Jaune and Fenrir sat in their cave as they waited for the right moment. The shadow moved to a marked line on the floor as Jaune nodded to the small wolf.

He walked over to another section of the cave to a makeshift stand as it held a little project Jaune had been working on for the past five months.

Using the leather, fur and material he gathered from the forest he crafted himself a set of lightweight leather armour to protect him from the Grimm. The leather had been hardened using a boiling technique that he learnt from the leather smith a long time ago.

It was mostly held together using leather strips to tie the pieces together and sewed them using a sliver of metal he broke off his last bit of armour. Seeing as he had no metal or tools to make buckles. But it was easy to move in and allowed him to carry more of his supplies. He strapped on the armour as he placed his weapons, hood and items into their slots or pouches.

He then picked up the small animal as he placed him in a makeshift bag that would hold the little wolf while he runs.

The small animal getting comfortable in the makeshift sack as Jaune checked over all the last-minute preparations.

"Arrows, Check. Quiver, Check. Knife, Check. Hatchet, Check. Bow, Check. Bait, Check. Fenrir…" the Wolf barked as Jaune nodded. "Check." He placed the last of his possession into his rucksack as he prepared to leave the cave.

But just before he looked back to the wall as he got one last idea.

Summoning a smaller version of Soul Sabre – which he dubbed Soul Shard – he carved something into the stone. The small blade of Aura cutting into the stone as finished his work and dispelled the blade. He looked upon the carving with a small smirk before turning around and leaving the cave. Carved upon the wall he wrote down one thing to mark his passage, whether he escaped this place or died doing so…

Jaune Arc Was Here

He stood just outside the entrance as he looked up to the sun about to rise over the valley. The distant howl of the Beowolves echoed in the distance as they no doubt had found the bait, he left out last night. Putting out the bait was how he ran across the Apathy.

Slowly he began to make his way towards cliff walls as he was careful to avoid any unwanted attention. Even though the Grimm were more prominent at night, there was still the occasional stragglers left in the day time. He was also careful to avoid his own traps as they were very sensitive to any disruptions.

Hey, he had to be careful. There have been cases of idiots falling into their own traps. He didn't want to be one of them.

Fenrir's ears suddenly perked as he growled behind him. Jaune instantly turned around as he was met with several sets of eyes as three large Beowolves growled at him.

"Shit! looks like the bait didn't work!" he slowly backed up as he glances back behind him to his destination.

"All right, time for plan B! Come on you big dumb mutts! I've seen cats that are scarier than you!" they roared as they charge. "Well that pissed them off!" he turned around and ran as he led them into the forest.

He moved in and out of the trees as the Beowolves chased behind him. He ducked and weaved under the branches of the forest. One of the Beowulf's ran faster as he got closer to the boy, only at the last minute did a trap spring and two branches covered in spikes swung out and smashed into the beast.

The other Beowolves roared angrier at the death of their brother as they ran faster after the boy.

Jaune continued to run as he sprung trap after trap to halt the incoming Grimm. He led them into swinging logs, pitfalls that took him days to dig, tension held pikes and all sorts of devices he crafted in the forest.

It slowed them down, but not stop them from the chasing the boy.

"Almost there, almost there! Just a little further!" Fenrir barked as a large Beowulf came charging from his side.

"Shit!" he quickly brought up his hands and summoned a quick 'Repulse' to blast the beast away. But the blast also threw him off course slightly as he tumbled down towards the riverbank.

"Shit!" he fell into the river as he quickly surfaced and coughed. "You okay boy?" a small yip sounded his okay as Jaune sighed in relief and got up.

The moment he did, however, he noticed the two marked graves he made for Fenrir's parents as the beginning of Autumn began to sweep the dead leaves across the surface of the river. He cast his gaze to the graves and the small wolf on his back as for a moment he thought he saw the two wolves sitting under the tree.

But when he turned back around, they were gone.

He nodded before a loud growl resonated behind him as two more Beowolves appeared from the forest. Their teeth soaked with drool as Jaune glared at the beasts.

"All right…" he held out his hand as a more intricate and detailed Soul Sabre appeared in his hand.

"Come and get me" he held up his blade just like Pyrrha taught him as he glared at the beasts.

They roared as they ran across the river and lunged at the boy. Jaune was quick to move out of the way as his blade swung in the air, leaving a trail of light behind him. The first Grimm tried to swipe at the boy, but Jaune merely deflected it with Sabre.

The second tried to gang him, but he used his spare hand to repulse the beast away.

With the second gone, the first was easy to dispatch as he blocked another attack and sliced the Grimm clean in half. Its dying roar echoing in the forest as the two halves fell into the river. Fenrir barked as the second Grimm came charging behind him, only for Jaune to spin around and slice its head clean from its body. The head rolling into the river, followed by the body dropping to the floor.

The blade disappeared as he only had four more uses left.

A loud roar echoed in the distance as the rest of the pack had no doubt heard their dead brethren. Jaune knew not to linger any longer as he bolted from the river.

He quickly found his way back to the path as he made his way closer to his destination. The old battlements surrounded him as he made his way through the old battlefield. A loud roar sounded in front of him as he halted in his tracks.

Two more Beowolves blocked his path as he turned to run back another way. But three more blocked his path behind him as they forced the boy to draw his hatchet. The Grimm he was in front of appeared to be older than the ones he killed. Which meant they were more cautious of him, especially how he killed their brothers.

Jaune kept his eyes on all of them as he slowly backed up until he was back against a large catapult. Fenrir growled when two more appeared behind him as they now circled the boy.

Jaune looked down at his feet before he sighed and lowered his weapons slightly.

"Shit…well, congratulations, you got me and all it took you was five months…" he shook his head as he sighed. "I was so close too, had a plan and everything…but you know what they say about the best-laid plans?" the beasts growled as Jaune sighed.

"Right, I forgot whom I am talking too. A bunch of mindless, killing machines. I'd say you were dumb animals, but animals are a lot smarter than you." They growled louder as Jaune summoned his blade as they backed off slightly.

He looked at his blade and the Grimm as he smirked. "You like it? It took me four months to make this, the first thing I've ever made in my life. Well other than my knife here." He gestured to the knife at his waist.

"I really wish I got to show my friends this, Ruby would be so jealous. Pyrrha…I'd think she'd be proud of me. But I guess I'm never going to find out." They drew a little closer as Jaune held up his blade.

"I don't know why I am telling any of you this, it's not like you know what's going on. But I guess I just need someone to talk to…" he looked down as he shook his head.

"From the beginning…I always wanted to be a Huntsman, a Hero, just like my ancestors. But I lacked any form of combat training. Never even held a sword properly until I came to Beacon, one of the many things I lacked…" he shrugged his shoulders as they drew closer.

"Everyone I knew had more than I ever had. Better training, better equipment…better skills then I'll ever have…" they growled as they grew impatient.

"But do you want to know the one thing I lacked the most when I took my initiation test…" he looked and smirked as the Grimm looked confused.

"A Landing Strategy"

With one swing of his hatchet, he cut a vine crafted rope on the catapult as the ropes and mechanisms began to turn. The ropes pulling the suspended weight that took Jaune a month to prepare as the Grimm looked shocked while Jaune stood on the platform and waved at the beasts.

"Later suckers!" and was flung into the air.

The wind rushed to meet him as he was flung high over the valley forest. The wind wiping his hair about in the wind as he looked upon the forest that had trapped him for five months. Fenrir's tongue wagging in the wind as they sailed in the air.

As Jaune rose higher he felt his aura becoming stronger as he grew further from the forest.

"Yes! Showtime baby!" Jaune spotted the cliffs just out of his reach as he turned in mid-air and aimed his palms at the forest.

"Little boost for luck!" he fired two powerful Aura Shots from his palms as the extra boost sent him flying closer to the cliff face.

Now Jaune was no idiot, he knew that if he came flying to close to the cliffs he would smack straight into the rocks and kill himself. Which was why he spent the last month working on the trajectory of the catapult and how much free fall he would need to cling on to the rocks. But he also faced the problem of getting his hands all messed up when he would try to grab onto the cliffs.

Well, Jaune had found a way around that thanks to a little inspiration he got from, believe it or not, the Grimm.

Now, Jaune hated the Grimm for what they did to Fenrir's family. But he couldn't deny that these creatures had some interesting abilities. Like the Beowolves who had sharp claws to climb the most difficult terrain.

Well, taking inspiration from that, Jaune created a new construct designed for climbing.

Focusing his aura, he gathered the energy around his arms and legs as what looked like white metal began to form over his limbs. The metal was smooth with clawed fingertips and toes.

He called them – Light Claws…

Yeah, he had to think of a better name than that.

He began to plummet as the rock face began to meet him.

"Hold on!" he yelled as his clawed hands and feet latched onto the wall and scrap across its surface, leaving a trail of claw marks on the wall. He stopped as he now hanged off the side of the cliff face as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Are you okay boy?" he asked as the small wolf pup nodded and barked. "Good…now for the climbing."

He slowly began to climb as his clawed hands and feet dug into the stone surface of the cliffs. The sun beginning to rise over the valley as Jaune took a moment to pause and look out at the forest. Despite all the hardships he had been through and the incessant want to leave this place. Jaune strangely found he would miss this place.

It was the place where he found his true strength after all.

Something caught his vision as he saw a black shape emerge from the sun.

"What the?" his eyes widened as the shape was revealed to be a large Nevermore, as its screech echoed in the valley.

"Shit!"

The Nevermore screeched as it fired its feathers at the boy. The sharp feathers impaling the stone face as Jaune quickly climbed and moved out of the way of the projectiles,

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Of course, it was too fucking easy! The Universe just loves to screw with me!" he quickly jumped as several more feathers pierced the wall as he clawed his way higher.

"Come on! Come on! Almost there! Almost there!" the edge of the cliff just out of his reach as he continued to scale the cliffside.

But just before he could reach it, a feather struck the cliff above him and destroyed the stones he latched on too. Everything moved in slow motion as Jane felt a strange sense of Déjà vu.

Him falling off the side of the cliff, stretching out to grab the edge only to fail and plummet.

Even the image of Pyrrha reaching out for him as he could do nothing but fall into the forest…

"NO!"

He willed and forced his aura as the gauntlet of his right arm suddenly shot off his body and stretched itself out to the cliff, the claws latching on as he quickly willed the aura and dragged him along the tether. He quickly latched on to the cliff face as the turned to glare at the Nevermore as it screeched above and got ready to attack again.

"That's it! I'm plucking this turkey!" he quickly surged the aura to his feet as the clawed feet latched themselves tight onto the cliff. Hanging by just his feet he summoned another ball of aura as he focused it on his left hand.

"Haven't had much practice with this one, but if I use my Semblance it should work!"

His arms glowed with his Semblance as the ball of light quickly began to shift and change its shape until it became a bow made of pure light. He grabbed the string with his hand as an Arrow manifested on the bow. He pulled back as his Semblance amplified the bow and arrow as they shone with a powerful light.

The Nevermore screeched as the bow and arrow near blinded the beast. Jaune glared as he pulled back the bow and put nearly everything, he had into this one shot.

"Eat this you son of a-!"

The arrow was let loose as it sped at blinding speeds towards the bird. The Nevermore barely had time to move as the arrow struck the beast straight in the chest. The aura infused in the arrow quickly spread as Jaune's amplifying abilities still coursed through the projectile.

The Nevermore screamed in pain as Aura flooded its body and burnt it from the inside out. Then like the old tale of Icarus and the Sun it plummeted in a burning pile of bone and feathers.

Jaune breathed in a sigh of relief as he watched the flaming bird disappear into the valley below. A small moan sounded behind him as he looked on his back to Fenrir as he too watched the burning corpse but was more scared of the incredible height they were at.

"Whoops, sorry boy."

He dispelled the bow as he refocused on creating the claws and scaling the cliff. It took a little longer due to using such a large amount of Aura to one-shot the Nevermore, but eventually, Jaune made it to the top of the cliff as he crawled his way to the edge.

He rested on his hands and knees as he unlatched his rucksack and allowed Fenrir to free itself from the confines, giving a little shake, before he fell on his back and stared up at the bright sky above him.

A great feeling of euphoria washing over him as he stared at the sky before his lips tugged into a small smile then a grin and finally a laugh as he thrust his fists into the air.

"...Ha...Hahaha..."

"WOOOOOOOOOO! YES! IN YOUR FACE FOREST! I GOT OUT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WOOOOOOOOOOO!" he let his arms lag as he laughed and sighed in contentment as finally, after five months of hell, he made it out alive.

He had escaped the Black Forest and made it out of Darkness.

He sighed as he took the moment to really enjoy the moment before a small furry face appeared above him and looked at him confusingly.

"Hehe, sorry boy. I'm just…enjoying the moment…but you're right. We need to get moving."

He got up as he brushed off the dirt and grass as he nodded to the wolf. "Now if I remember the Fort should be just around…"

He stopped as he gazed upon the desolate and ruined fort as it lay in rubble.

"Oh no…" the banner of the Iron Wolves waving on tattered cloth as he gazed upon the destroyed fort. Fenrir whined a little as the boy looked down at the wolf. "Yeah, I know…it's not good...Let's go inside, see what we can find."

He trudged his way into the fort as he walked through the empty fort. Skeletons of the former members lay stretched out upon the battlefield. Memories of the battle played back in his mind as he remembered every single detail of the fight. Where his friends were, where Reinhold's men were, even where the Teachers were as they all played out before the boy.

He looked over to the large hole in the wall as he remembered crashing through the wall and the pain he felt at that moment.

"Looks like I was right, the fort must have fallen shortly after I fell into the valley…should not have expected anything less." He shook his head as he looked around. "Not as many bodies as I'd thought there'd be. Last time I remember there 50 men here I only count 29…maybe the rest had to leave and got out of here. Should look around."

Jaune made his way through the Fort as he searched everywhere, keeping his senses sharp in case any Grimm were lurking about. But after searching there appeared to be no one else here. But he did manage to find the Communications Hub.

"Yes!" He hissed with excitement as he ran over to the machine…only to discover that it was busted. "Shit! Just my luck…and all the scrolls are busted too. Just my luck…" he ran a hand through his hair as he sighed.

"Looks like I've got to make my way back on foot. I should check Reinhold's office, if he was the captain, he would have a map of Sanus and all the villages marked on it. It could be my only hope." He and Fenrir marched their way to the captain's quarters as they carefully made their way.

Jaune quietly pushed the door open as he stood before the captain's quarters. He looked around as most of the tables and bed were overthrown and bits of paper were scattered everywhere. He made his way into the room as he searched all the papers for a map.

"Map, map, map, there's got to be a map here." He continued to search as Fenrir waited at the doorway.

But something caught its attention as it looked over to the overturned bed and he trotted over to it.

"Yes! Got it!" Jaune exclaimed as he found the map. "Okay looks like the closest town is Badge Town. But we have to go through the mountains to get there." He shook his head as he looked between the fort and the town. "It'll be quiet the trek, but it's not like we've got much choice."

Fenrir barked as Jaune turned to the small wolf. "What is it boy?" he asked as the small animal kept pawing at the bed.

Curious, he walked over and moved the bed out of the way. Behind the overturned bed was a footlocker, a pretty old one too, as dust and rubble still covered the thing. He carefully brushed the dust away before his eyes widened at the name scribed on the wood.

Cornelius. L. Arc

He stared at the name on the footlocker as he hesitantly undid the latches of the lid and opened it up. Inside was a bundled-up piece of cloth and a paper folded on the top. He opened the letter as he instantly recognised his grandfather's handwriting.

* * *

 _Gris, I'm leaving behind my old armour and weapon to you, old friend, in case something ever happens to me._

 _If you should ever come across a young boy named Jaune Arc. Who looks like he has more grit then senses, he is my grandson, a spitting image of me if I do say so myself? I wanted to give him this before he became a Huntsman like me and his old man. But I doubt his parents will let him have it. More than likely they'd store it away in the attic or the family acrhive we built under the tavern._

 _Alongside the blade of my ancestors._

 _I hope it never comes to that, and that I can personally give this gear to him, who I know has the integrity and grit that it takes to be a Huntsman._

 _There is so much potential in that boy, but he constantly doubts himself. But I know that if given the chance, he can rise up to the challenge and become the best Huntsman in the world. Its what he wants to be…what I know he is meant to be._

 _Our family doesn't believe in destiny or fate or any of that kind of nonsense…but we do believe in each other…and there is no one I believe in more than him…_

 _Sincerely, Cornelius Leon Arc the Third, Former Captain of the Iron Wolves. And Loving Grandfather._

* * *

Small tears stained the paper as Jaune softly cried at the words of his grandfather. He brushed the tears away as he smiled softly. "Grandpa…thank you…" he looked into the chest as he pulled aside the cloth and stared down at a dark grey chest plate and black clothing.

A determined expression marked his face as he picked up the armour and got changed.

He replaced his mattered, torn and fur crafted clothes for black cargo pants with combat boots and a long sleeve dark shirt with a hood attached. He then placed on a grey chest plate and gauntlets as he strapped them into place.

He strapped on the knife he forged on his back waist and secured the Quiver and Bow he crafted in the forest long ago. He then drew out a black cloak as he secured it around his neck. He looked into the chest as he pulled out what looked like a bolt-action rifle.

The rifle was made from red stained oak, with a dark blue metal frame and a gold bolt. He flipped a small switch as the under barrel of the gun produced a long blade and the handle shifted into a cross-guard handle.

He looked over the gun/blade as he looked at the name etched into the metal.

"Merveilleuse…" he flipped the blade back into its rifle form as he nodded. "Thanks, Grandpa…" he reached in an pulled out a utility belt with sewed in ammo pouches and faded grey buckle with the Arc Symbol branded on the metal.

He looked at the tattered remains of his hoodie as he looked to the small wolf as he looked curiously at the boy. "You like, boy?" the wolf barked as Jaune smiled.

He then got an idea as he picked up one of the pieces and tied it around the wolfs neck. Almost looking like a bandana wrapped around the wolf. The small wolf looked perplexed before it barked happily at the small cloth around it.

"Glad you like it…"

after grabbing spare ammo, he found in the armoury and any other supplies that he could find and fit in his rucksack. He walked outside as he stood upon the edge of the mountain tops. Before him was a vast stretch of tall mountains blanketed with snow and trees as strong winds blew from the mountain top.

Jaune looked to the small animal at his side, "All right boy…" he cocked back the bolt of his rifle. "Let's get going"

And so, began Jaune's journey to return home to Beacon. Where along the way he would face monsters, bandits and all manner of trials that would block his path. But the boy was determined to make it back home, back to his friends and back to one he overlooked for so long.

This was the true start to his legend…the Legend of the White Wolf.

* * *

 **And Scene. Well, here is Chapter V of The Legend of the White Wolf. Now to address the question, Jaune will be taking a while to make it back to Beacon. Not too long, maybe up to chapter 10 or 12, depending on where the story takes me.**

 **Also, to answer someone's question, yes, most of the Omake's are Canon in my story. Especially Jaune realising Pyrrha's feelings. Any suggestions for Omake's if I can't think of any, let me know in the review after leaving a review to the story.**

 **But now Jaune had left the forest, he must traverse along the steep mountains of Saunas and make his way home to the ones he loves. But what else lurks in the mountains and what will Jaune find? Found out next time in…**

 **Chapter VI: Stumbling Upon a Plot**


	6. Chapter VI: Stumbling Upon a Plot

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter VI – Stumbling Upon a Plot

* * *

The ice-cold winds blew across the mountain tops as a cloaked figure trudged his way through the ice and snow. A small animal following at its side as its white fur made it almost invisible amongst the white terrain. If not for the black cloth wrapped its neck.

The hooded figure looked out amongst the snow as he pulled out a map from his pocket.

"Badge Town should be just over this mountain! We might be able to contact Beacon to get a ride out of here! But at the very least we need to find shelter from this storm!" Jaune yelled over the wind as the small pup barked.

He folded the map away as he and Fenrir continued to trek their way through the snow and ice.

It had been two days since Jaune had begun his journey to make his way back to Beacon. Two days since he escaped the Black Forest had begun the arduous task of making his way through the snow and wind to find Badge Town, a small settlement at the base of the mountain range. There he was hoping he would find a radio or a communications relay and get a message back to Beacon.

Then hopefully it would be just a hop, jump and skip back home.

If it wasn't for this blizzard that came out of nowhere, which made it bit more difficult to find his way through nothing but white.

"Storm's too big! We need to find shelter! Smell anything boy!?" the small wolf looked around as it searched for a place to rest. He barked and pointed its nose in the direction of North. He narrowed his gaze as he spotted a small cave in the distance.

"Good boy!"

He picked up the Wolf and trudged his way through the snow until they finally made it to the cave, as Jaune was quick to get a fire started. Luckily some of the supplies he gathered before leaving the Forest was wood, which hadn't been frozen or soaked in the snow.

He sparked the wood with dried leaves and his flint as a small fire began to burn.

He got to work getting himself warm as he unrolled his fur mattress. He pulled out some of the jerkies he made and fed some to Fenrir, who happily chewed on the piece of dried meat. He chewed on the meat himself as he unfurled the map and checked his location.

"From the looks of it, it may be another day before we make it to Badge Town. Hopefully, they have a COMM's relay. Thank the Gods Miss Goodwitch made all us team Leaders memorise those Huntsman Codes, otherwise I wouldn't know whom to call to pick us up." Fenrir wasn't listening as he chewed on the dried meat.

He chuckled a little as he patted the small wolf and got out his journal.

* * *

 _Journal of Jaune Arc, Day 154, Year of the Wolf, X327_

 _It's been two days since I got out of the forest, a feat I might add that no one has ever been able to achieve. That's something I can brag about. Anyway, it's been two days since I got out of the forest. Fenrir and I have been trekking our way through the mountains, in order to get to Badge Town. There's a possibility that it could be abandoned as well, seeing as the Edge was meant to guard it._

 _From what I remember in Oobleck's classes, in the times I could keep up with him: When a place is overrun the Kingdoms don't bother wasting resources trying to reclaim something taken by the Grimm. Which probably means they may have cut their contract with the Iron Wolves._

 _It's a possibility but I hope that's not the case._

 _At least I got some good gear from what remained of the fort. Grandpa's old armour and weapons – thanks again, Gramps. I have a sword again, not forgetting Soul Sabre, which was apparently Grandpa's old Weapon – Merveilleuse. I remember he carried an old rifle like this on his back when I was young, but I don't think it's this one. And this one looks like it was modified to accommodate a clip feeding system without sacrificing the bolt action lever and firing power…_

 _Hey just because I don't use a gun don't mean I don't know how one works? Dad used to let me inspect his old hunting rifle when we went camping._

 _Anyway, from the Fort I managed to find a Recon Scope. Some Rope and a couple of ammo clips for Merveilleuse. Combine that with the food I packed from the forest and hopefully, this should get me to Badge Town.  
_

 _Odd name for the town though? I think it was supposed to be called Beige Town, but the cartographer messed up with the name. Eh, who am I to judge? If I can get to them maybe I can call a ride to get me out of here._

 _But there's also a possibility that this settlement I'm heading to was overrun by the Grimm when the fort fell. The map I have is from five months ago, and if I remember correctly, most Huntsman usually has to update their maps every month to accommodate for Grimm attacks and Bandit raids.  
_

 _If that is the case, then it's going to take a lot longer getting back to Beacon then I thought._

 _But at least the worst is behind me. I'm out of the forest and on my way home. If I do find a settlement, the first thing I plan to do is take a shower…a nice…long…Hot…shower…it has been so long since I have bathed without worrying about having my ass bitten off by a Grimm._

 _That is going to be_ _awesome_ _…_

 _I wonder though, what would have happened if we never went to that place for a sudden field trip? What if I had never fallen into that forest and found that temple? Would I have still discovered these powers? Would I have met another wolf family? Discovered my semblance earlier or later? Or would something else have happened?_

 _Oh well, can't dwell on what is or what might have been. Just need to keep moving forward, me and Fen…we're going to make it._

* * *

He closed the chapter on his journal as he felt the presence of a small furry creature as he looked down to Fenrir as he curled up to his leg. He smiled as he stroked the sleeping animal and looked out of the cave entrance to the blizzard.

"Hang on guys…I'm almost home."

* * *

Beacon Academy – Headmasters Office

* * *

Ozpin scrolled through the information provided to him by the Vale Council as he nodded. A list of all the students that would be participating in the Vytal Festival from the Four Kingdoms.

"Thank you, that will be all." He told the council and shut off the screen. The man sighed as he leaned back into his seat and rubbed a tired hand over his face. "This job never gets easier…no matter how many lifetimes I live." The door opened as Goodwitch walked into the room.

"Miss Goodwitch, how goes the preparations for the Beacon Dance?"

"I've assigned teams RWBY and PNR (Pioneer) to organise the decorations. The rest of them are handling it well, Miss Nikos on the other hand…" he nodded.

"Is still in the training room?" she nodded as the man switched the camera feed to the training hall as Pyrrha Nikos continued to train against the holographic targets.

"…This has to stop Ozpin, she's pushing herself too much. Her friends are concerned. I had hoped that assigning her to the dance detail would help her relax, but she barely listens to me. Not to mention her friends are telling me that she barely eats, barely sleeps and spend more time in the training halls than any other student to date. If anything, she has become more obsessed with bettering herself. It's not healthy." the woman said as they watched her train.

"She hasn't changed, and we are closing on the Vytal Festival. You promised me that we would not consider her if she keeps this up, and she has. It's time we consider other options." The man looked at the girl as he watched her fight.

"…Agreed. We may have to use one of the second-year students, maybe even a third year if possible…she holds amazing potential, but a fragile personality. Mister Arcs death certainly was a harsh blow for her…" they were interrupted as a large warship hovered outside the tower and both teachers looked at each other.

"He's here…Ironwood certainly loves to bring his work with him."

"Well, running an academy and a military makes him a busy man." He stared at the fleet as three more Bullheads fly in. "But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore." A chirping beep sounds repeatedly as Ozpin turns to see a hollow-message "Access Requested" on his desk. "Come in."

The door opens to reveal a tall man in military attire as he strolls into the room. "Ozpin!" he calls out cordially.

"Hello, General."

"Please, drop the formalities." Both men approach and shake hands as Glynda approaches with a small smile. "It's been too long. And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met."

"James." She gives a personable wave to the man, who has a small blush and then drops all pleasantries. "I'll be outside." She walks out of the room as the two headmasters are alone.

"Well, she hasn't changed a bit."

Ozpin turned around to his desk and grabs an extra mug. "So, what in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas? Headmasters don't typically travel with their students, even for the Vytal Festival." He offers a cup to Ironwood who nods and takes it.

"Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year." Ironwood produces a canteen from his inside coat pocket and pours its contents into his mug. "Besides, with you hosting, I thought that this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up." Ozpin walks around to his desk, kettle and a new mug in hand.

"I can certainly appreciate the quality time between friends, however, a small fleet outside my window has me concerned." He pointed to the fleet literally parked outside his school.

"Well, concerned is what brought them here."

"I understand that travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult." He stirred his coffee before drinking it.

"Oz, you and I both know why I brought those men."

"We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression." Ironwood shook his head as he set down his mug.

"But if what Qrow said is true..."

"If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully," Ozpin emphasizes as he holds up an index finger. "It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So, I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent." The man shakes his head.

"I'm just being cautious."

"As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can." The man sighs as the General turns away.

"Believe me, I am." He stops near the door and looks back at Ozpin _._ "But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children can win a war?" He continues on his way to the exit and his hand reaches the knob.

"While I would hope they never have to… I fear my students have already tasted loss so far." The man stopped as he turned to the Headmaster. "Recently we lost one of our own on a field excursion to the Edge."

"I heard that. The reports indicated that it was overrun by a sudden Grimm attack and the damage was too extensive to be salvageable. The Council deemed it a lost cause and reassigned the Iron Wolves to a different location. If I may ask, who was it?" he asks as Ozpin sighs.

"A boy by the name of Jaune Arc." The man raised an eyebrow at this.

"Arc? As in Roland Arcs son?" the man nodded. "I see…that is a shame, I know his father. He's a good man, I'm a little shocked that a child of Roland and Diana could fall so young." Ozpin holds his tongue regarding Jaune's lack of training.

"…Death is not meticulous on age or experience, old friend. Even the best of us have fallen to the Grimm." The general nodded. "But in his last moments he did save the life of the Schnee Heiress if that is of any conciliation?" the man nodded.

"I see…well, I will make sure that the young girl's father knows of the boy's bravery and sacrifice…not that it would mean much to _Jacques_." Ozpin nodded knowing full well what type of man Jacques Schnee (né Gelé) was.

He just hoped that in some way he truly loved his daughter, no matter how deep it was buried in his arrogance.

The General soon left as Ozpin looked out upon the campus. Scheming and planning of a way to prevent what he feared would come.

* * *

A Day Later - The Sanus Mountains

* * *

The Snowstorm had finally passed as Jaune and his companion continued their way through the snow and mountains. The trek was difficult and steep, as traversing on foot was not recommended by anyone. But the boy was eager to find the closest settlement he could find and make his way back to Beacon. Even if he had to continue along the dangerous paths at night.

The sun was beginning to set as Jaune knew that eventually, he would have to stop and find shelter. But unlike last time, there was not a cave in sight.

"You'd think with all these mountains there'd be more than one cave?" Jaune asked himself as he made his way through the forests that grew on the mountains. He brushed aside some branches as his feet left long trails in the snow.

Little furry ears popped out of the snow followed by Fenrir's head as the small wolf pup happily frolicked in the snow. Jaune almost laughed at the cute display from the pup.

"It's so weird to know that you'll grow up to be a big strong wolf someday." The small pup merely tilted its head as Jaune chuckled.

Something caught Jaune's eye as the light seemed to peer from the edge of the small forest. "Wait is that…light? Light! Civilization! Come on boy!" Jaune quickened his pace as the small wolf hurried after him in the snow.

His hope soaring as he almost ran through the forest. Finally, he thought, finally he was going to get home. He was going to see his friends and family again. Finally, he was going to make it back after so long.

Finally, he was going to-!

Fenrir suddenly stopped as he growled angrily causing the boy to halt as well. "What is it, boy?" the small pup growled even louder as Jaune looked confused and carefully made his way through the tree lines.

When he emerged from the forest he stood before a cliff as he gazed up the sight of a large military-style with a small array of antennas and communication dishes. But what the boy the saw wasn't what shocked home. It was the figures that patrolled the fort, all wearing the mask of Grimm…

And bearing the mark of the red beasts on their backs.

"Oh shit!" he hissed as he quickly hid behind some rocks, Fenrir quickly following behind. He seared his bag for the Recon Scope as he pulled it out and peered into the base. The small scope tracking the Faunus as they patrolled around the edge of the base and the surrounding area.

"White Fang!? What the hell is the White Fang doing out here!?" Fenrir growled as he looked at the Faunus.

"That's right, you've never seen a Faunus before, and you're confused on why they smell like an animal as well as a human?" the small wolf looked to him and nodded as Jaune stroked the small wolf to calm it down.

He looked up to the tower as small red lights flashed on the antenna.

"It looks like they are using that old base to relay communications. Makes sense, its outside Kingdom territories and who would think to look in an old abandoned base for them?" he looked at the tower as several modifications could be seen attached to the tower.

"I'm guessing this base must've been abandoned a while ago and they moved in to relay orders across Vale. If I remember the White Fang don't like humans, so I should probably get out of here before they see me…" he turned to leave but stopped as he looked back to the tower.

"But if that is a working communications relay…I could use it to contact my team, let them know I'm alive! …But I doubt they're just going to let me walk in and use their phone?" he sat down as he thought of a plan.

"I guess I could steal one of their uniforms, sneak my way into the base and use their COMM's and organise a pick up somewhere?" but he stopped as he remembered Oobleck's lesson. "…Oh wait, that's right, Faunus have heightened abilities like night vision and smell. They'd know I'm human the moment I step foot inside that base…" he rubbed his chin in thought.

"I need a way to hide my scent or make them think I'm one of them…but how?" a small scratching sounded behind him as looked to see Fenrir scratching its ear with his hind paw and then up at the trees as he remembered an old trick his grandfather taught him.

"That could work?"

* * *

Meanwhile, a random White Fang Member was patrolling the woods near the base, as his flashlight searched the forest for any signs of Grimm or Humans. For the sake of the story, let's call this guy…Joe? Now Joe was an average sort of guy. He used to work under the Schnee corporation as a Dust Miner back during the Nicholas Schnee era when workers were treated properly and in safer conditions.

But when Jacques came into power, he and the rest of his kind began to suffer due to cheaper labour forces, less than ethical working conditions and shady business partners.

Because of this, Joe lost just about everything he had. His home, his family, everything. It was these events that eventually caused him to join the White Fang in order to get quality back for his kind. But there were days where he questioned the leadership of Sienna Khan's rule and the brash behaviours of Adam.

But he enlisted for the cause and that's what he had to do. "Just don't understand why we're out here in the middle of goddamn nowhere?" he trudged through the snow as his flashlight scanned the area.

He reached for his radio as he contacted the base. "Nothing to report here, moving onto the next sect-!." A small twig grabbed his attention as he spun around and aimed his rifle…

At a small Wolf Pup?

Fenrir wagged its tail happily before he started to bite at his own butt. 'Joe' put his rifle away. "Repeat, what have you encountered?" a voice spoke over the radio as he answered it.

"It was nothing, just a wild animal. I'm continuing my next sweep of the area." Unbeknownst to him, a figure lurked from the treetops. "I'll Report back to base soon,"

"Affirmative, base out." But as soon as the radio cut out, did Jaune attack.

He jumped down from the branches and knocked the guy off his feet. Which unfortunately knocked his radio over the cliff. But Jaune had little time for that as he got to work beating the man, placing him in a stranglehold.

"Go to Sleep! Go to Sleep! Go to Sleep!"

The man struggled as he felt the air in his lungs be cut off. He tried to knock the boy into the trees, but Jaune had applied a fraction of his semblance and increased his strength. His vision blackened as he felt his strength growing weaker and weaker before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground unconscious. After making sure he was still alive, Jaune sighed in relief

"Well, what do you know, rubbing yourself with pine leaves and dirt can mask your scent? Thank you, grandpa," he looked to the small wolf pup who wagged his tail happily.

"Good boy, now for his clothes." He started removing the man's clothes, as Fenrir hid his eyes behind his paw.

After stripping the man of his uniform, which he found out was an Ox Faunus, he tied the man to the tree with the rope he gathered from the fort before he placed the clothing over his own, he secured the white mask over his face and pulled the hood over his head. He had to make sure that no one could see his face properly, as he did not want to be discovered by the White Fang. He picked up his rifle as he slung it over his shoulder.

"Can't use my Aura powers, the light will attract too much attention." He looked over to the wolf as he gestured to the small animal and held out his hand.

"Come on boy," the small animal rushed over and hopped onto his hand. "Hopefully with this stuff blocking my scent and you being with me, they might think I'm a wolf Faunus…" he placed the wolf in his jacket as the small animal curled up inside.

"I hope?"

Drawing his rifle, he walked back to the base as he made his way to the gate. He gestured to the guards, "Returning from patrol," he told them as they nodded and let him through. Luckily it seems they didn't need to check ID or anything. Which was good, otherwise he'd be screwed.

"Okay, made it through. Now I just need to make it to the COMM's room." He walked into the fort as he tried to find the room.

As he walked into the base, he noted that it was an old fashion base, similar to the Edge back near the Black Forest. Only this one seemed much older and the cannons more modern than the rest of the base. There was also some snowmobiles, trucks and crates full of dust and ammunition.

"Looks like these guys have got some serious hardware," he observed as he saw two of them working on one of the Artillery Cannons and hid behind a truck.

"You got it fixed?" one of them asked as he shook his head.

"No, the axis controls are still off. This thing turns but it can't move up or down." He said as the other shook his head

"Well that's just great, we have a cannon that only points up, what good will that do against Grimm?" the other man said as he adjusted the bolts.

"…Hey what the hell are we doing here?" the first man asked as the second looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why are we all the way out here in the middle nowhere, we barely get any signal for crying out loud! Why are we out here when the fight is about to happen back in Vale?" that perked Jaune's intrigue as he leaned in closer. "Don't they need all the help they can get if this whole 'plan' actually happens, why are we out here?" the other man shrugged.

"Well…before we can begin the plan, one of our Intel officers picked up a signal being sent to here from Vale. From one of our old buddies, Tukson." The engineer blinked at this.

"Tukson? Do you mean that guy who owned the book trade store? What does he have to do with this?"

"Well, he was one of our infiltration operatives working in Vale. His job was gathering Intel and that sort of stuff. But Adam found out he was going to defect from the White Fang and had him killed for treason. But apparently, before he died, he transmitted sensitive intel to this location. Don't know why, but apparently we need to know what he sent and how that would affect the plan."

"Does Sienna know about this?" he shook his head.

"No, and Adam wants this kept under wraps until he knows for certain that nothing will disrupt the plan. But the bastard was good and added extra levels of security to the data and decrypting it has been hard. But we need to find out what he knew before he died. Or if we can use it to our advantage."

"It's a shame…I liked Tukson, he was a good man." The other nodded.

"Yeah…but he betrayed Adam, he betrayed the White Fang and the C _ause._ That is unforgivable."

Jaune tried to process what he heard as he looked up to the tower. What were they talking about? What plan involved some guy named Tukson and what would it mean for his friends? To find those out, he needed to get up there.

He carefully made his way to the communications room as he slowly opened the door by a crack. Inside where dozens of computer screens and a series of codes. To the right of the room was one man, who had lizard-like patches on his skin, as he furiously typed on a computer.

He carefully closed the door behind him as he snuck into the room.

"All right," Jaune nearly jumped at this as he reached for his knife. "I'll admit Tukson, you were a pretty good programmer." He typed on his keyboard as a series of codes flashed on the screen. "But I…am…better!"

The screen went green as files began to appear on the monitor. "Yes!" he cheered slightly. "All right, Tukson…let's see what you found."

He felt something tap his shoulder as he turned to see a smiling face. "Hi," followed by a fist to his face and his head hitting the desk, as he was knocked out. "Fen, keep an eye out." He gestured to his eyes then the door as the small wolf hopped out of his jacket and stood near the doorway.

Jaune carefully picked the man up and dragged him to a closet and locked him inside. He then made his way to the computer as he took off his mask as he tapped on the keyboards.

"Come on, come on, where is the communications function? Ah! There it is!" he moved the mouse over to the call icon. "Just need to put in the Huntsman Transponder Code and I'm out of here."

But just before he pressed call, his eyes wandered over to the file the man just unlocked as curiosity got the better of him. He opened the folder as file after file opened up to him and he gazed upon it in shock and confusion.

"What in the?…Base locations…Weapon Specs…troop deployments…dust stores? What the heck is all this?" a video file caught his attention as it read 'For High Leader Sienna's Eyes Only'.

"High Leader Sienna?" he clicked the video as a strange black-haired man appeared on the screen.

" _This is Tukson of the White Fang intelligence division with an urgent message for High Leader, Sienna Khan. Sienna the mission that you assigned me has been… compromised and I fear that my life is in danger."_

 _"As you know you, you assigned me to the Vale Division to keep an eye on Adam and report back anything that is deemed suspicious. What I have discovered…is beyond anything I can imagine. Sienna…I believe Adam is planning to invade Vale."_

Jaune's heart nearly stopped when he heard this as he paused the video. "Invasion!? What the hell is he talking about!?" he clicked play.

 _"Over the past five months, Adam has been gathering and storing vast amounts of Dust, Weapons and Ammunition stolen from the Atlas Military. I've managed to locate one of his caches in the Mountain Glenn Settlement, but I believe that is only a fragment of his supplies. Not to mention he has been receiving help from…humans of all people. Like the Criminal, Roman Torchwick."_

An image of Roman appeared on the screen as he was seen ordering White Fang members to load and steal the dust from shipments and stores.

" _I do not know who these people are, but they seem to have vast resources and insider knowledge to Atlas systems."_

Schematics of Atlas shipments, weapons and troop deployments appear as Jaune watches all of the information appear before him.

" _There is also this one woman working with Adam and she has…strange abilities, like nothing I've ever seen before."_

An image file of a black-haired woman appeared on the screen as the woman holds a ball of fire in her hands as she is seen greeting Roman, as she and Adam are seen discussing plans as Tukson hid behind a crate filming the whole exchange.

" _I have no idea who she is, or who she works for, but she has powerful connections and Lien to back it up. And I don't like it…not one bit."_

The image pauses on the woman's face as Jaune stares at the woman as a sickening feeling resonated in his gut. He continues the footage as it switches back to Tukson.

" _It is my belief that Adam is planning to invade the City of Vale using the Vytal Festival as the starting point. How this will be achieved I cannot be certain, but my contacts have led me to believe it has something to do with the CCT Network and the new Atlesian Knights that are being flown in from the Kingdome of Atlas?"_

Schematics and news articles of the upcoming Atlesian Knights appear on the monitor as the footage shows them replacing the old models and appearing friendly to the populace.

" _This invasion cannot happen, Sienna! It must not! It would send Faunus Rights and our kind back hundreds of years! You have to bring him in and stop him! If you don't! …I fear that he may target you next. I'm leaving Vale tonight, and I cannot trust open or private channels to relay this information to you. I'll send all the data I've collected to my Dead drop in the mountains as per usual, where one of your men will have to retrieve it. After that, I'm heading to Vacuo and then Hopefully to Menagerie. I just pray you find this recording in time..."_

He hung his head before he looked into the camera.

"… _I have been loyal to the White Fang for years, even when Ghira was forced to step down and you took over. I followed in your ideas for equality…but if this invasion happens…I want nothing to do with the White Fang anymore. Not if Adam takes over. Please be safe, yours faithfully…Tukson."_

The video ended as Jaune stared at the screen.

This…this was heavy, this was really heavy. Invasion plans, Dust thefts, Strange people? What the hell was going on in Vale? And why the hell was the Vytal Festival so important to their plan? None of this made sense. Jaune knew that this information was important, there was no denying that.

This kind of thing had to be brought back to the Headmaster, to the military, anyone who could properly assess this data! "I need to send this right away," he typed on the computer as he chose to upload the files to the Beacon Transponder Code. He began the upload as he nodded.

"Okay, now to contact Beacon and-!" a warning flashed across the screen.

"What!? Signal not strong enough!? What the hell! You mean I can only do one thing at a time!?" he paused the download as he shook his head. "Okay, easy solution, I contact Beacon and then send the data. Simple!"

Suddenly a loud siren resonated around the base as Jaune looked up in fright. "Attention! There is an intruder in the base! Sweep the area and locate him!" Jaune cursed.

"Shit! They must have found that guy I knocked out!" he heard footsteps getting closer as he looked between the two icons "Shit! I don't have enough time for either!" he hissed and weighed his options.

On the one hand, if he was to make a direct call to Beacon Academy to notify them of his location, he could get out of here quicker. This option would allow him to return to Beacon sooner and allow him to warn the Headmaster about the Invasion. But it would also give the White Fang the chance to destroy all the data and evidence.

Evidence that could prove vital to Vales survival.

On the other hand, Jaune could also upload the data to Beacon Academy instead, which would take who knows how long? It would allow Beacon to use the data to effectively co-ordinate against this invasion that they were planning and hopefully stop it in their tracks. But it would leave him with little time to send another message or escape and possibly get himself captured.

And with the sounds of the White Fang searching for him getting closer…he was on running borrowed time.

He was now faced with two options. Either call for help and possibly doom his friends due to insufficient data…or send the data and give Vale a fighting chance. His hand hovered over the keyboard as he could not decide what to do. Save himself? Or save his friends? Even Fenrir looked concerned at the look of concentration and frustration that was present on his face.

Jaune sighed as he hung his head.

"I'm sorry…but I have to do this…" he reached over and clicked the icon.

"… _Data transfer in progress. Estimated completion…5 minutes."_

Jaune looked to the door as the shadows of the White Fang came bending around the corner. "Not sure if I have that long?" he quickly made his way to the door as he started to close it shut and pull down a large heavy cabinet in order to block it off.

"Hey! Stop right there!" he heard them yell as he closed the door and pulled the cabinet down, blocking off the entrance.

And effectively trapping him inside.

He took off his disguise as he drew his rifle and cocked back the bolt. Loud banging could be heard as the White Fang tried to bust down the door. But the heavy cabinet made it difficult for them as the door only rattled from their fists.

"Fen stay behind me!" he ordered as the small wolf nodded and hid behind him.

He gazed back to the monitor as the download screen read 2% complete. Loud thunks hit the wood as axes started chopping into the wooden door. Jaune aimed his rifle at the door as he fired off one shot.

This effectively caused the attackers to halt and stumble back.

"Shit! He's armed!" Jaune poked his rifle through the hole and started shooting at the White Fang, hoping they would flee from the COMM's Room. They did, only so they could get around a corner and take up a defence position.

"Kill that intruder!" one of them yelled as they started firing at the door. The Dust rounds punching through the door as Jaune took cover.

Luckily the communications equipment was at the right of the room, otherwise, those stray shots could have accidentality cut off his chance to send the data. He waited until there was a pause in their firing before he fired back at the men. A game of cat and mouse as they both hid from fire and avoided it at the same time.

Jaune glanced back to the monitor as the download screen read 64%.

"Halfway there! I'm halfway there!" he turned around and fired again as the hall was riddled with bullet holes and scorch marks.

The firefight continued until one of them managed to look into the room and see a reflection of the screen as the data transfer was at 89%. "Shit! He's transferring the Data!" Jaune cursed as he shot the mirror.

"Cut the hardlines! Make sure he can't send it!"

"Shit!" Jaune yelled as reloaded. He looked at the screen as it slowly changed from 89 to 90%. "Shit! Come on, come on, come on!"

The White Fang Member reached the server room, as he fuddled with the locks, as was standard procedure to keep them locked behind a metal gate in case of intruders.

92…93…

More gunfire shot into the room as Jaune did his best to hold them off. "Come on, come on, come on!"

94…95…

Frustrated the White Fang member unfurled his weapon and smashed the lock with his axe and kicked down the door. All while Jaune fired back at the White Fang that was attempting to break down his door.

98…99…

Everything slowed down as the White Fang grunt swung his axe at the cable while Jaune watched with agonising fear as the small number remained on 99 for what seemed like an eternity. Until…

"Data Transfer…Complete"

The axe severed the cables as the computers went black and a no signal sign appeared on the monitor. Jaune cursed when the screen went dark, just as he saw the transfer finish.

"I hope they go the message?! Now to get out of here!"

He looked around for any type of escape but all he saw was walled off with a closet and only one door in or out. That was currently being bombarded by a bunch of angry and pissed off White Fang.

"Looks like I got no choice." He held out his hand as he summoned Soul Sabre. "I'm going to have to fight my way out…" he got ready to stand up and fight…until he looked at the floor and the sword in his hand.

The White Fang continued to shoot as they tried to kill the boy inside. "Wait! Hold your fire!" one of them yelled as he noticed something odd. The boy was not shooting back? Quickly they made their way over to the door as they barged their way through.

Only to find an empty room with a large who cut in the middle of the floor.

"What the?"

Jaune quickly ran down the hall as Fenrir followed close behind him. "Come on boy! We need to get to those snowmobiles!" the small wolf barked in agreement as they made their way to the courtyard.

"There he is!" one of them yelled and started firing at him.

"Shit!" he cursed as he quickly dove for cover, drawing his grandfather's rifle and shooting at them. His rounds hitting their auras and forcing them to take cover. Jaune quickly used this chance to run again, only getting so far as the cannon before he was forced to hide behind it.

The rounds bouncing off the metal cannon as Fenrir tucks himself close to Jaune as they hide from the barrage.

"Close the gate!" he heard them yell as the wooden gates closed shut.

"Shit! Not good! I need to get out of here!" he looks around trying to think of a way out, but all he can see is pissed of men with guns. he looked around for a way out, until a stray bullet hit one of the crates as a large Artillery round came rolling towards him.

He stared at the round, then at a single-shot grenade launcher and finally the cannon as he got an idea.

A very…very…bad idea.

The White Fang continued to open fire until a large man with chainsaw bladed sword on his back came out and held up his hand. The rest of them stopped as the man walked to the edge of the railing. "Human! We've got you completely surrounded! Surrender, and I promise your death will only be swift and painless!" the Lieutenant of the White Fang yelled out.

Silence reigned over the courtyard as they all waited for his response.

"…You know you guys really need to work on your negotiation skill. Cause I got to tell you…they are bad." The man chuckled.

"Maybe…but do you really have much choice? You're completely surrounded and are most likely almost out of ammo, right?" Jaune paused as he checked his rifle, he had a few more clips, but not enough to keep on fighting.

"…Maybe. But I like my odds." he pulled the latch open as he fed the round into the cannon. "Besides, I've got a plan to get out of here. So, I'm going to give _you_ _guys_ the opportunity to get out of here, before we all end up dead. What do you say?" the others all looked at each other before they laughed.

"You are amusing, human. But if you haven't noticed, your only cover is a cannon that only points up. And don't think we don't hear you loading the damn thing," the Lieutenant pointed to the side of his head. "Special hearing, remember?" Jaune nodded as he placed Fenrir in the makeshift rucksack.

"Yeah, I remember." Making sure the wolf pup was safe he reached for the controls.

"And if you're hoping the noise will deafen us? You're out of luck. We've been trained not to react to over stimuli. So, whatever your little plan is, _human_ , it isn't going to work." He mocked as Jaune rotated the cannon in the direction of the man.

"Want to bet?" he asked as the man grinned and held out his arms.

"Do it…because the second you fire, my men will tear you apart."

Jaune glared from around the cannon as the man grinned. Jaune's hand latched around the firing mechanism as every single finger hovered over their triggers. All eyes trained on the boy as they all waited on his next move.

"Okay." He pulled the firing mechanism as the cannon fired. The round going straight over the tower and missing any part of the fort.

The man grinned as he turned back to him. "Told you you'd missed!" Jaune however, grinned back.

"Wasn't aiming for you."

Confusion appeared on his face before a loud explosion drew their attention as they all turned around just in time to see the flames dissipate on the top of the mountain. Followed soon after by a loud crack of ice and even louder rumble as the ice on the mountain began to fall and roll down the mountain. The Lieutenant of the Base stared in shock as he realised what the boy had done.

He caused a God Damn Avalanche, and it was heading right for them.

"YOU GOD DAMN IDIOT!"

They all yelled with near bulging eyes as the leader spun back around just in time to see Jaune jump from cover and run for the snowmobile. He grabbed the grenade launcher as he and Fenrir jumped on the snowmobile and revved it forward. He sped towards the closed gate while aiming the grenade launcher at the wooden structure and fired.

BOOM!

The Gate exploded into fire and wood chippings as he dropped the launcher, took both controls of the vehicle and sped out. But not before he looked back to the stunned crowd and waved.

"See ya!" he yelled before he sped off out the gate.

The loud roar of the avalanche approaching them as everyone in the base screamed and panicked as they tried to get out of its way. The Lieutenant of the base growled as he glared at the retreating form of Jaune. He roared as he jumped down from the battlements and marched his way to one of the snowmobiles.

"After him!" he ordered to those that were left as they hopped on the remaining snowmobiles. Jaune sped down the mountainside as he looked back to the base, just in time to see it swallowed whole by the avalanche and buried under tons of ice.

But it didn't stop there as it continued after him. "Okay, not my best idea!" he pulled on the throttle as the vehicle sped faster.

Behind him, an angry White Fang Lieutenant chased after him with two more of his men behind him as they fired at the boy. But shooting while driving was a little more difficult then it was in the movies as the constant rocking and turning of the vehicles made it difficult to hit him.

The Lieutenant growled he sped after the boy.

He knew that when Adam found out the Data may have been sent, he would be furious. He would more than likely make an example of him to those that failed him and the White Fang. But if he brought the head of the boy that did it, he would hopefully be spared.

Only if he got a hold of the boy.

Jaune sped down the mountain as fast as he could as he did his best to avoid any obstacles that could potentially kill him. The trees and rocks passing him by at blinding speeds as the light from the snowmobile shone through the darkness.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! I've never ridden one of these before!" he jumped over a small mound as he was briefly airborne for a second before landing back on the ground. "Whoa! That was scary!" a stray shot bounced off the back as he looked to see the angry Lieutenant.

"That's worse!"

A large avalanche right behind them as it swallowed up trees and rocks. "That is even worse" he muttered to himself as he sped faster.

One of them was not so lucky as he got sucked up by the avalanche, while the other tried to speed up, only to lose control and slam into a tree. Igniting the dust engine in a fiery explosion.

This caused the Lieutenant to become furious as he growled and drew closer to the boy. He reached for his weapon as the large Chainsaw like blade roared to life. He drew closer to the boy as he swung, just as Jaune ducked his head. Cutting down a tree or two in the process as they sped through the forest.

Jaune narrowly avoiding his rage as he swung his weapon left and right.

"Dude! You have got to chill!" the man growled angrier as he sped closer to the boy. He raised his blade over his head as he was prepared to cut the boy in half.

Only at the last minute did he fail to notice the branch and got thrown off his ride.

"…Whoa…eyes on the road." Jaune muttered before he focused back on the path and sped away. The Lieutenant groaned as he got back up only to scream as he was swept away by the avalanche.

Jaune continued to speed away as the Avalanche grew closer and closer to him. He was out of the woods, but he still had the large avalanche behind him.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Can't this thing go any faster!?" the avalanche stretched closer to him as he could feel the spray of ice on his neck. "Come on! Come on! Come on! Go faster!" he pulled back as far as he could but the machine simply could not.

In a desperate moment to save himself, Jaune had accidentally summoned upon the power of his Semblance as the power of his Amplification Abilities spread from his hands and surged its way to the Dust Engine.

Now, as everyone knows dust is either activated by a source of power form either technology or by a Huntsman Aura. Let's take into consideration Jaune's Amplifying abilities that used his Raw Aura to amplify another Huntsman. Now Huntsmen have been known to use Dust in conjunction with their Semblances and Aura and has resulted in different abilities forming from such a combination.

Now since the Snow Mobile was powered by a Fire Dust Crystal for combustion and thrust. Jaune's semblance amplified the unique properties of the Dust, which in turn caused it to produce a more powerful flame and combustion, which ultimately resulted in…

A very unexpected boost.

Jaune was nearly thrown back as the fire blew out of the exhaust ports and the snowmobile went two times faster than before.

"WHOA!" the wind rushing past him as he and the snowmobile sped insanely fast across the snowy slopes. Fenrir's tongue wagging in the wind as he poked his head from his sack.

Jaune barely had any control as he held on tight. His gaze caught something in the distance as ahead of him was a large crevice that was both wide and deep, with no clear sight of the bottom.

And he was heading straight for it.

"Oh shit!" he yelled as they headed straight for the crevice. Spying a slanted ledge, Jaune quickly turned the Snow Mobile just enough to change its course. The boy and vehicle shooting over the large canyon as for a moment he was flying through the air.

He cleared the jump before he let go and started to fall towards the solid ground. He instinctively summoned his aura as he and Fenrir were coated in his aura and he felt his body lock up. He tumbled across the ground, while the vehicle crashed and tumbled across the ground. Jaune landed face first in the snow, while the vehicle crashed into a tree.

Jaune's aura faded as he and Fenrir relaxed and lay face down in the snow.

He looked up to the banged-up snow vehicle, and then back at the avalanche as it poured right over the edge. A great sense of relief washed over him as he lay back down in the snow, just relishing the moment he was not actually dead.

"I cannot believe that worked" he mumbled as he just lay in the snow.

Fenrir popping out of his bag as he hopped off the human and trod around in the snow. Jaune smiled a little as he sat back up.

"Well, there goes our only chance to get back to Beacon sooner. I just hope the data actually got through before they cut the hardlines? …Oh, shoot! I forgot to grab a scroll! Ah man!" he fell back into the snow while covering his face with his hands.

The small wolf let out a whine as he rubbed his head against Jaune's leg who smiled and patted the small animal before sitting back up.

"Ah, its okay boy. At least we made it out of there safely." He looked over to the Snow Mobile as it looked a little banged up. But otherwise looked okay. "And hey, now we have a means of transport. We can probably make it back to Beacon in no-!"

BANG!

The vehicle suddenly exploded as the Dust Engine overloaded and ignited the snowmobile and engulfed it in flames.

Jaune and Fenrir stared as bits and pieces of the vehicle landed around them, then watched as one of the wheels from the tread rolled around them then off the cliff and into the abyss. Jaune stared before he slapped a hand over his face and groaned.

"…I should've known…"

He looked back to the flaming wreckage as he watched his only means of transport blow up in his face. "Guess I must have overloaded the engine with my semblance or something?" he looked at his hands and summoned his Semblance then back at the wreckage before shutting it off.

"Oh well…" he sighed as he got back up. "Guess we're still walking the rest of the way." He gestured to Fen. "Come on boy, we got a long walk ahead of us." Fenrir barked as the two walked away from the wreckage and continued their march back to Vale. Determined to make it back to his friends.

Never knowing that hours later an angry hand burst from the snow as the Lieutenant crawled his way out of the freezing snow and glared as he thought about the boy that may have just cost the white fang everything.

* * *

Beacon – Headmaster Ozpins Tower

* * *

Ozpin walked over to his desk as the pale light from Remnants moon washed over the city. He sat down as he pulled up his holo-screens and continued to organise the events for the upcoming Vytal Festival, while also figuring out what to do about Salem. He took a sip from his coffee as he continued to work.

Suddenly he got an alert from his computer as he looked strangely at the alert. He opened it up as he stared a file that was attached to a message sent to Beacon Academy

"That's odd, somethings been sent through the Huntsman Transponder Codes. But it's an old one, who sent it?" he questioned as he stared at the file.

He wondered if this was one of Salem's tricks in order to cripple his defences. But why would she send something straight to him? She was more cunning and careful than that.

Still, he had to know what it was.

Carefully he opened the file as his eyes widened and he shot up from his desk. His coffee toppling and spilling across the floor, but he paid little mind to it as he read the files and watched the video.

He instantly hit the intercom on his desk as Glynda's face appeared on the monitor.

"Miss Goodwitch! Get to my office immediately and bring Ironwood with you! There is something you need to see!" she nodded as she cut off the screen while Ozpin looked at the information that was presented to him.

"This...will change everything..."

* * *

 **And Scene. Well, here is Chapter VI of The Legend of the White Wolf. Honestly, this story is just coming out in waves, I'm surprised myself. I think it's because I've had this one in development for a while and all the ideas are just pouring out of it.**

 **But I will work on my others, I've just hit some writers block with them. Nothing to worry about. I like to make good stories, so have patience.**

 **Any for this chapter I wanted to explore more possibilities for Tukson, as I feel there could have been more to his character than just a body bag to establish that Emerald and Mercury are evil. So, this way I set him up as an intel officer for the White Fang. Would make sense, having a book store as a set up would be a good cover. And I want to believe that he may have stumbled upon Adam's plans for the invasion and wanted out of it.**

 **Thus, he was killed for his 'treason'.**

 **Now I know a lot of people are going to tell me I'm wrong about signal strengths and why Jaune couldn't do two things at once. But honestly, I don't know much about computers, and because I need a reason to keep Jaune's little Journey going just a bit longer…for plot reasons.**

 **Anyway, tell me what you think about Jaune's semblance amplifying dust. It seems like a possibility, but we won't know for sure. But now that Jaune has sent the intel to Beacon, how will Ozpin and his inner circle react when they piece together the terrible plot that awaits them. How will this affect the course of the Invasion? And how will it affect those that Jaune loves? Find out next time in…**

 **Chapter VII: Witch Hunt**


	7. Chapter VII: Witch Hunt

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter VII – Witch Hunt

* * *

The Sun was shining over the forest as a cloaked boy and his wolf companion walked through the forest. His feet crunching the dirt beneath his feet as he continued to walk the beaten path while the small wolf pup followed alongside his master.

It had been a week since Jaune had made it off the mountains since he sent the Data from the fort and escaped a giant avalanche while being chased by homicidal madmen.

All things considered, he was going all right so far.

After getting off the mountains – which took him a day and a half – the boy finally managed to make it to Badge Town. And just like he feared, the town had been completely deserted. He wasn't surprised at that, a little annoyed but not surprised, as he knew that it was more than likely a certainty that the village would be gone.

Strangely there were no bodies to be found, not even signs of a battle. It was almost like they all just packed up and left.

Which of course meant no Scrolls, and it looked like Bandits had picked it clean.

When he searched the Mayor's office in the town hall he learned from the documents left behind that in case the Edge ever fell to the Grimm, they had a plan to evacuate the citizens and move to their sister town a few days away. A place called Riverdale.

Apparently, that's where the citizens of Badge Town were planning to migrate and then further West to Vale with what remained of the Iron Wolves as guards.

It made sense seeing as their only line of defence had been wiped out, they had to evacuate the town to avoid further bloodshed. And if there were no bodies here, then it was reasonable to assume that the Iron Wolves had managed to make it to Badge Town and help the citizens evacuate.

Jaune felt some relief in that, as he hoped that Griswald and his men were okay.

So now, Jaune was on his way to Riverdale, a small settlement that was famous for its beautiful scenery and its large stretch of river, that surrounded the whole town like a moat. Where hopefully the town was still alive, and he could use their COMM's relay to contact Beacon. But Riverdale was a week and a half away on foot, and Jaune had to be careful travelling the forests. Especially at night as the Grimm were everywhere.

So, he had to stop and rest in a defendable position every so often in order to make it there alive. Along the way, he practised more with his semblance and techniques as he tried to refine them more.

He found that creating soul sabre's initial stage – which he dubbed Proto Sabre – was quicker to summon in a pinch but lacked clear form and was vulnerable to shattering easier. Whereas creating a more coherent structure like his old sword, took more concentration, but was physically tougher then Proto-Soul and could deal more damage. But it did need a little more of his aura to stabilise the construct.

Not that it would affect his now-massive reserves.

The best part about all these techniques he was creating, was that Aura weighed nothing. So, he didn't have to worry about any of his 'weapons' throwing him off balance.

He had a few runs in with some stray Grimm, but nothing he couldn't handle now. Plus, it gave him a chance to get used to his grandfather's sword-rifle Merveilleuse and how to shoot a gun properly. Currently, they were just a few miles outside Riverdale as Jaune and Fenrir walked along the dirt road. A small whistle exiting Jaune's mouth as he walked along the road.

"Country Roads~ Take me home~ to the place~ I belong~ West of Mistral~ Mountain Mama~ Take me home~" Fenrir looked up at the human who chuckled.

"Ah, it's just an old song my mum used to sing. She used to it play all the time on the ride to Shion. Got that song stuck in my head." He shook his head at the fond memory he had of his family road trips. He stopped as he tried to read the map in his hands.

"Okay, so we got off the mountain here…and the fort was over here…and Badge Town was back that way." he pointed to the map and then looked around. "Which means Riverdale should be…that way!" he pointed and furled up the map.

"Come on boy, let's keep going. I don't want to know if there are any of those White Fang guys chasing after us…" he sighed as he looked to the sky.

"You know something boy…when I get back, I'm going to apologise to my mum and dad for…everything…for making them worry…for making them think I'm dead and putting them through so much grief…and I've got to apologise to my team for not being a better leader, a better partner…and a better friend." He shook his head as the Wolf listened.

"But I'm not saying this to beat myself. This whole experience has made me realise I'm stronger than I thought I was…and that maybe I do deserve to be at Beacon…I just had to survive half a year in a Grimm infested forest before I realised that." He smiled then shook his head.

"Come on boy, the town should be just this way." The pair nodded as they continued onward to their destination. The fresh smell of Autumn in the air as the trees slowly changed from green to orange and brown. A gentle wind blowing through the trees as the leaves fluttered and drifted off into the sky.

He smiled as he caught one of the leaves in his hand before it drifted away. He continued on until he stopped as he heard the sound of water in the distance. He looked up as small stacks of smoke drifted in the air. Fear clenched his heart as he feared the worst.

"Oh no…"

He bolted towards the smoke as Fenrir followed quickly behind him. He ran to the top of a small hill, as he feared to come across the same state of destruction and death, he had seen too many times this month.

But felt his heart soared as he gazed down into a large settlement of Riverdale surrounded by a large body of water. The small stacks of smoking were merely the smoke that drifted from the chimneys of the many homes and business that existed in the town.

"Oh, thank the gods!" he breathed a sigh of relief. He chuckled a little as he shook his head. "It's just the chimneys." He chuckled before he looked back to the Wolf.

"Come on boy, we're almost there. I just need to get to a terminal or a phone and we're good as gone," he walked towards the bridge as he felt that his journey had finally come to an end…

* * *

Mayor's Office – Riverdale

* * *

"I'm sorry, young man. But the CCT Network is currently down for maintenance."

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Jaune yelled as he fell back on his chair and slammed his head into the floor. His feet dangling in the air in a rather comical fashion.

The Mayor – an elderly looking man – and his assistant – a young squirrel Faunus – stared in shock at the sudden display from the young man. While Fenrir just relaxed on the couch as it curled itself on the soft cushion.

"Uh, young man…are you okay?"

"I'm fine just…questioning every decision in my life and wondering what I did to deserve this?" he groaned on the floor.

To clarify, when Jaune went into town the first thing he did was head over to the town hall, where Huntsman and Huntresses usually gathered at the Mission Board, to retrieve missions or use the emergency contact function to contact the nearest Kingdom. But when Jaune went to use it, the whole board was shut down.

Confused, he asked to speak to the Mayor to know why the mission board wasn't working. Which was when he found out that it wasn't just the board that down, but the whole CCT Network was currently offline and as you can probably guess…

He was not happy about it.

Jaune got back up with his chair as he looked at the mayor with a clearly annoyed look on his face. "Now…can you explain what you mean when you say the CCT is _down_? Why the heck is it down?" he stressed as the mayor coughed into his hand and readdressed himself.

"Uh, well…The CCT Network is currently offline for maintenance purposes. By order of the Kingdoms of Atlas, Vacuo and Vale. It's supposed to be a system update to improve security across the Network. They've estimated that the system will be down for at least three days."

"Three days!? I have wait three days to make a phone call!?" he fell into his seat as he rubbed his hand over his face.

"Um, sir? Are you okay?" the assistant asked as Jaune shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. I've just been sort of… _lost_ , for a while now and only just got back to civilization. I came to use your Mission Boards because I lost my Scroll five months ago. But when I found out the Mission Board was down, I was hoping you would be able to provide me with a scroll I could use to contact my friends in Vale. I tried asking some of the people here, but…they're not very trusting." The Mayor nodded.

"Yes, most people here have learnt to be a little wary of strangers wandering into town. I'm sorry to hear about that son. You must have been through quite an ordeal," Jaune scoffed at that.

"You have no idea."

"I can issue you a new scroll, but the Network is still down, so you won't be able to upload your profile until it's back up. But at least you'll have access to the short burst frequency." Jaune hung his head but nodded.

"Yeah I figured, thanks"

"But…" his head shot back up as he looked to the man. "We do have a supply transport from Vale arriving two days from now. You could book yourself passage onto the transport and it can take you back to Vale…but I'm assuming you don't have money, correct?" Jaune nodded.

"Looking at your weapon and from what you've told me, you're a Huntsman, correct?"

"Huntsman in training really,"

"Doesn't matter my boy. What matters is that you know how to fight. So, in return for us paying for your passage, can you help us with perimeter defence? We already have a huntsman team here to help defend us. But I suppose an extra hand won't hurt?" Jaune thought then nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose we can come to that arrangement." The mayor nodded as he shook the boy's hand.

"Thank you, young man. The Team is currently on patrol at the moment, but once they get back, I'll introduce you to them." Jaune nodded.

"Thank you, but uh…can I use a shower? I haven't had one in months, not by choice." The man nodded but brushed his hand on his pants anyway.

"Sure, there's a spare house just down the road next to the one we're loaning to the Huntsmen, but I'm sure they won't mind a neighbour." He gave the boy a key as he nods and walked out of the office.

Fenrir hopping off the couch as he shook his fur and then followed after him.

While walking Jaune felt some relief that things were finally looking up. Though he did wonder why it was that the CCT Network was mysteriously down for maintenance. A small voice in the back of his head suggesting it had something to do with the Data he sent a week and a half ago.

But that couldn't have been it, he thought, and just chalked it up to coincidence. He walked into the spare home as he looked around. It was small but had a rather cosy feeling to it with basic furniture and a holo-projector.

The small Wolf Pup instantly walking in as it got up on the couch and curled itself up before falling asleep.

Jaune smiled as he closed the door, put down his rifle, bow and all his other equipment down near the couch, unlatched his cloak and rested it on the rack. He walked over to the bathroom and opened the door as he stared at the most beautiful sight, he had ever seen in the past five months…

…A Toilet…with _R_ _eal_ _Toilet Paper…_

"Oh, thank the Gods…no more leaves." he praised to the ceiling before he closed the door.

* * *

Beacon Academy – One Week Ago

* * *

Ozpin's fingers were laced together as he stared at the footage over and over again. The same video message left by the man – named Tukson – and the White Fang's plan to invade the school during the Vytal Festival. But his eye was constantly staring at the black-haired woman as she held a ball of fire in her hands. Most would have assumed she was using some form of dust to manipulate the flames.

But Ozpin knew better. That was no Dust, that was the power he gifted centuries ago.

That was the Fall Maiden.

"Well…I did not expect this." Ozpin turned to the man as Qrow leaned over his desk to look at his screen. After receiving the intel three days ago, Ozpin immediately sent a recall signal to Qrow, ordering him to return to Beacon. Mostly to see if he was the one to supply the information to them, he was surprised when he found out that Qrow was not the one who sent it.

"Are we sure that this intel is accurate?" he turned to Goodwitch as she too observed the footage. "It could be a fake?" Ironwood shook his head.

"I've had my analyst review the footage over a dozen times now. What we are seeing is unaltered footage of the Fall Maiden's power. Which means that woman, is the same one that attacked Amber." He pointed to the black-haired woman.

"Can we confirm it's her?" she asked as Qrow nodded.

"Yeah, I reckon that's her. I never saw her face, but she has similar features to the one who attacked Amber."

"Besides I know Dust manipulation…that is not Dust…that's magic, she's the one." Ozpin interrupted as he gazed at the flames. Ironwood shook his head as he looked at the stolen schematics.

"How the hell did the White Fang get access to this intel? Only those with top levels clearance of the Military should have access to this. All of these are on the projects I worked on, or currently working on. Who the hell has been leaking Atlas secrets? Do we have a location on the man that gathered this?" Ozpin nodded.

"We did, his name was Tukson, he owned a bookstore here in Vale called Tukson Book Trade," Qrow answered as he took a swig of his flask.

"Was?" Glynda asked as Ozpin pressed a few keys on his desk as his body appeared on the holo-screen.

"He's dead." The others stared at this as the man laced his fingers.

"The Police found his body an hour after I received this message, he's been dead for about two weeks now, from what the coroner tells us. The sign was displayed as closed and the shutters were down, so no one reported it. The police searched his store and found almost nothing, except for some evidence of electronic hardware having been there. It looked like the place had been scrubbed." He shook his head.

"Standard procedure, get rid of the evidence. So, if this man didn't send us the Data…then who did?" Ironwood asked the collective group as many of them were unsure themselves.

"How could we have let this slip by us? A White Fang Intelligence agent in Vale? How did we miss that?" Glynda asked as the Headmaster pondered this.

"…Because it's not what we were looking for." Qrow answered as he narrowed his eyes at the photograph of the dead store owner. "We never considered that she would reach out to the White Fang because we were too focused on finding Ambers Attacker and a new host for the Fall Maidens power." Ozpin shook his head.

"It's just like her to use others for her own gain. Do we have a clue as to her identity?" Glynda narrowed her gaze at the woman

"I've seen her before…." She opened her scroll as she searched through her device until she stopped at a particular picture. "Here she is." She pressed a few keys as her image appeared on a hologram.

"Her name is Cinder Fall…and she's a student, from Haven Academy."

Ozpin stared at her 'student ID' as her smirking face vexed something inside him and those with him. It was like they were looking at the devil himself.

"…Isn't' she a little old to be posing as a student? Must have some real delusions about her age if she thinks she's a teenager." Qrow quipped.

"Her files say she's from Haven Academy?" Ironwood said as he observed her. "But how could someone like her make it into the system? Surely they would have noticed something odd in her transcript papers?" Glynda pulled up her papers that were supplied mandatorily by every Academy for the Vytal Festival.

"I'm not sure, but her transcripts look to be in order." Ozpin narrowed his eyes.

"Almost too in order…" Ozpin commented as he read over her transcripts. "From a first glance these do look like ordinary legitimate transcripts, even has corresponding signatures from the previous teaching staff from any one of the starter Academies." He typed a few keys as he pulled up another transcript.

"But…when you've worked long enough in the education system, you can practically tell forgery just by looking at it. Any self-respecting Teacher would have instantly been able to recognise the forgery…but for this to slip by…someone had to purposely overlook it." Qrow raised an eyebrow at this.

"How can you be so sure, Oz?" Glynda and Ozpin shared a glance at each other as they both thought about another student with similar transcripts.

"Call it…a Headmasters intuition. But if her transcripts are faked, then it's only right to assume that the rest of her team is the same." Glynda pulled up the rest of the files as they display Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai and a girl with black hair and green eyes.

"Looks like we caught a whole barrel of spies here," Qrow surmised as he looked at the files.

"But the fact of the matter is, someone from Haven Academy allowed these transcripts to be verified and allowed her, and her team, to pose as students. Which means there is a high possibility, that there is an agent of Salem in Haven Academy." Ozpin spoke gravely, while Ironwood looked almost shocked and insulted at the notion.

"You can't be serious Oz? Who or why would anyone willingly want to work for her?" Ozpin shook his head.

"There are many reasons why they would join her…and I have felt the sting of betrayal too many times." He muttered the last part to himself.

"But it is clear that Salem's reach extends further than I anticipated. If she has managed to plant an agent within the Academies and is using the White Fang for her own purposes…then I fear the Relics are no longer as safe as I hoped they would be." A grave silence washed over them as they all feared the outcome of such an event.

"…Shit…well what do we do? Do we act on this?" Qrow asked as they looked at him.

"Are you serious, Qrow? You want us to act on this?! We still don't even know who sent it!? There was no corresponding Huntsman ID and as far as I know, we don't have any other operative in the field!" he gestured to the screens as the send data only had the general Transponder Frequency and no Huntsman ID which was only given out to graduates.

"This could all be a trap!"

"Right now, we have actual _intel_ on our enemies, and that's hard to come by. I should know because I've been out there, lurking in the shadows looking for them. In five months, I hadn't found squat on her new associates, no names, no identity, not even a clue as to who this fake maiden is! It's almost like they don't even exist!" He pointed to the screen.

"But then suddenly we get this golden opportunity to take her down and prevent this 'Invasion' they've got planned and we're going to what, wait? Well, I say we can't waste it…I say we should go for it."

"Are you insane Qrow? We still have no idea if this intel is even legitimate or a hoax by the enemy to lure us into a trap. We need to tread with caution and discretion about this." Qrow chuckled at that.

"Seriously? You're talking about being _Cautious_ and _Discreet_ , now? Remind me, which one of us brought a fucking _fleet_ and basically announced his arrival to the whole of Vale?" he got up to the man's face. "And according to these files, your little tin army is part of her plan. So, I think we are passed being stealthy at this point." Ironwood growled as he got up in his ace.

"I have no idea how or why she has access to those specs. But I can assure that my arrival was to instil hope into the people of this Kingdom. Hope that is drastically needed."

"You call may it hope, but all I see is just arrogance."

"…If you were one of my men, I'd have you shot!" he growled as Qrow smirked.

"If I were one of your men…I'd shoot myself!"

"Qrow!" Ozpin's voice silences the two of them as Qrow steps back.

"Despite what the world thinks, we're not just Teachers, or Generals, or Headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the other two academies, we're the ones that keep this world safe from the evils no one even knows about. Why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. You're only here because Ozpin wanted you here. He made you a part of this inner circle and opened your eyes to the _real_ fight that's in front of us."

"And I am grateful."

"Oh, well, you've got a really funny way of showing it. Do you... do you honestly think, they're scared of your little _ships_? Remember I've been out there, and I've seen the things she's made, and let me tell you, they _are_ fear. The longer we wait…the more time she has to spread that fear."

"And fear will bring the Grimm…" Ozpin spoke as he laced his finger and he pondered.

"…Before us lies a unique opportunity, one that we have not had in some time. We can either take the risk and face the consequences, whatever they may be…or we do nothing and suffer for it later." He sighed heavily as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

He thought a lot about his life, the many choices he made. The many mistakes he made that always led to his defeat. Every one of his stratagems, every one of his fallen Generals, every one of his friends lost to his fear and cowardice...every student he had sacrificed in the coming war.

In a strange moment, he thought about the young Arc who perished under his watch. In how his last moments were not of hesitation, but of bravery and self-sacrifice.

The True Essence of a Warrior

"…It is a gamble…but I believe we should act upon it." This almost stunned the gathered teachers as the man stood up to his height.

"I have been… _complacent_ for far too long. I've allowed her to extend her reach, while mine has shortened over the years. While we do not know if this person who sent us this data is on our side, or hers, we cannot afford to let it slip by. Then if this intel is correct, we will track this person down and offer him our aid." He turned to Qrow.

"Qrow, I want you to tail this woman and see where she heads. If we can catch her in one place with her co-conspirators, then we have a greater chance of taking down her group." Qrow nodded at this.

"General, have your men ready to act when Qrow gives the signal. If this intel is correct, then it is possible that she may have a way to turn Atlas Tech against us. Bring only your men, and leave the Knights deactivated on the ship." The General looked downtrodden but nodded.

"Miss Goodwitch. When this is over, I need you to see if you can somehow arrange a message to be sent to the High Leader of the White Fang." She looked confused at that request.

"It would appear that there are those amongst her organization that wish to keep her in the dark. Adam Taurus is a known criminal and extremist. If what this Tukson man says is true…then he may plan to assassinate the White Fang leader and take her place. That cannot be allowed to happen."

"I will try headmaster, but I don't see how I will be able to get a message to the White Fang, especially because I'm human." He thought about it for a moment before he got an idea.

"Have Miss Belladonna meet me in my office when this is over. Her father may be able to provide some help in that department." Ironwood was confused this time.

"What does Miss Belladonna have to do with the White Fang," Ozpin smirked.

"Let's just say that she may know of a way to get a hold of someone important. Now, let's prepare for our assault." He grabbed his cane as he stood before the gathered Huntsman and deployed it.

"It's time to go Witch-Hunting"

* * *

Warehouse District – South of Vale

* * *

Loud machinery sounded throughout the abandoned Warehouse as men dressed in dark clothes with red beasts on the back moved large shipments of crates from one end to the other. Shipping crates full of dust, weapons and vehicles all procured from raids on Atlas Supplies Transports.

In the middle of I all was Roman Torchwick as he supervised the whole operation.

"Hey! Careful with that you morons! That is highly explosive material you're moving there!" he pointed to one of the men that accidentally knocked the corner of the shelf. "Do you want to become the fireworks for the Festival?" they shook their heads. "Then be more careful!"

He shook his head. "Bunch of dumb animals" he pulled out a cigar and felt around for his lighter. Only to remember a little thief took it.

"I see you're getting along well?"

Roman turned to see Cinder and her lackeys – Emerald and Mercury – as they strolled their way across the warehouse. Acting as if they owned the place. He scoffed as he shook his head.

"Other than the stink-eye they cast me ever two seconds, yeah, we're getting along just peachy. Oh, and you brought the kids, how thoughtful dear! Hey champs, ready to spend a fun weekend with your pop?" he mocked as Emerald blanched and Mercury had a slight twitch in his eye.

"What have I told you about making us think about you reproducing?" Emerald said with a glare as Roman smirked.

"Consider it payback for stealing my lighter you little brat, which reminds me…" he held out a hand. "Smoking's bad for kids, hand it over."

Emerald scoffed as she held up the lighter and twirled it in her fingers. "As if I'm going to give back-"

"Emerald…" a quick glance from Cinder was all she needed as she reluctantly handed the lighter back to the man, who smirked and lighted up a cigar. "Roman, how goes the preparations for Phase 2?"

He gestured around him. "Going swimmingly, we should have the rest of the supplies transported to Mount Glenn by the end of the week. So long as we continue using the tunnel systems, we should be fine."

A small crow landed on the edge of the building as it peered into the room before his form shifted into a man and a scroll began to record..

"We also sent that clean-up crew to Tukson's place, we made it look like a robbery after your little hit squad there took the big guy out." He pointed to Emerald and Mercury as the Silver-haired boy smirked and crossed his arms.

"Well somebody had to do your job." Cinder turned and glared at the two.

"May I remind you two that you're not supposed to be making a scene? If the authorities find out you had a hand in Tukson's death, it may jeopardise the mission." Both of them nodded.

"Yes, Cinder," they replied as Roman sent them a mocking grin.

"And you, make sure all this is sent to Mount Glenn by the time of the Vytal Festival. Our troops need all the supplies they can get…" she turned to leave before Roman called her out.

"You know it would go a lot faster if you weren't pretending to be a student." He complained as he gestured to the crates. "Here I am busting my ass off making sure this stuff gets to your little hideouts, while you're trying to relive your youthful days in high school which, let's face it, are long behind you."

For a moment there was a faint twitch in Cinders brow as Emerald moved for her weapon but was halted by Cinder.

"So, if you want me to speed things up, it would help if you told me the rest of your 'brilliant plan' because so far all I'm getting is the sense of moving from one place to another." Cinder smirked as she walked towards the man.

"I'm going to ignore that little comment on my age and remind you that we have plans for you. Otherwise…" a ball of flames appeared in her hand as she threw it a crate of medical supplies as it burst into the flames.

"I'd have reduced you to ash by now." Roman swallowed his fear as she strolled over to him.

"Our cover in the school is necessary to gain access to the CCT tower, without it your part becomes invalid. As does your life." She got up close as she held the flame to his face. "As I told you before, _you'll know what you need when you need to know._ Follow the plan and obey my orders, that is all. Can you do that?" Roman glared a little before smirking.

"As you wish, dear."

Outside the window, Qrow switched to communications mode as Ozpin's face appeared on the screen as he held it to his ear.

"Hey Oz, the intel was solid. She is the one working with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. And it sounds like those two kids are responsible for the guy's death." He flipped the scroll back to broadcast mode as he filmed the warehouse and the large hole dug into the floor.

High above near the Atlas Warship, on board, a troop transport, General Ironwood, Glynda Goodwitch, Penny Polendina and Ozpin watched the monitor as it displayed the coordinates of Qrow's position.

" _Not only that, but it seems they've been using the underground tunnels to transport their stolen goods from Vale to Mount Glenn. Clever little bastards,"_

His voice came over the speaker as Ozpin nodded. "Indeed, no one would have thought to check the abandoned tunnels, since they were sealed off years ago." He watched the footage as they loaded the crates into the hole and onto the train.

 _"And now we know how they've been getting in and out of the city."_

"We have confirmation, they're all gathered and now we have the evidence…I believe it's time to move in." Ironwood suggested as Ozpin nodded. Ironwood then turned to Penny as she was seated on the shuttle.

"Penny I want you to capture anyone trying to escape and only engage with the targets with extreme caution. Understood?" She nodded as she followed the man's orders.

" _Hey Jimmy, you sure it's wise to bring a kid with us?"_

"Penny is… _different_ and is ready for this kind of situation. She can handle herself." Said girl looked to the man and smiled.

"I am combat ready!" she saluted as Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"Qrow…it's time," Ozpin said as the man on the other end nodded and pulled out his blade.

" _All right Jimmy…send in the troops."_

Ironwood nodded as he pressed a button on the intercom. "All troops deploy, surrounded the building and make sure no one escapes." The troop commander nodded as he gestured to his men in the dropships.

"Understood General. All right men! Let's hunt us some traitors!"

The Warship shone searchlights on the warehouse as everyone in the building looked around in shock. "What!?" Cinder yelled as loud thumps hit the metal roof before sparks ignited from the metal as several circular cuts carved their way into the steel.

Meanwhile, several troops surrounded the building as some of them planted breaching charges. they stood back before the front doors burst open as a whole squad of Atlas troops marched into the area. Guns raised and laser sights pointed as nearly everyone in the vicinity aimed their weapon at each other.

The troop commander, a man with a red stripe across his arm stood before them as he aimed his gun at the humans.

"Cinder Fall! Emerald Sustrai! Mercury Black! And Roman Torchwick! By order of the Kingdoms of Atlas and Vale! You are hereby charged with suspicion of treason against the four Kingdoms!"

Emerald and Mercury flinched back in shock while Cinder seethed at the gathered men.

"What is the meaning of this!?"

"It's quite simple, Miss Fall if that even Is your real name," Ozpin spoke as he, Goodwitch and Ironwood walked into the warehouse. "You're under arrest for conspiring against the four Kingdoms and stealing something that doesn't rightfully belong to you…" she backed up slightly as she stared at the Emerald Wizard.

"Now, I'm going to ask nicely, all of you, to drop your weapons and hand yourself over to the authorities. I promise you'll be treated fairly by the Laws of the Four Kingdoms." Cinder regained her composure as she scoffed.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. We're just helpless students being held against our will by these White Fang terrorists." Most of them looked in shock while Emerald and Mercury tried to play innocent themselves.

"Cut the crap," Qrow jumped down into the warehouse and held up his scroll, showing her interacting with the White Fang.

"We know you're working with them. And we know you're not students of Haven. We know who you work for…and what you _really_ _are_ …thief." Cinder sneered at this as her eyes flickered for a moment before she turned to Ozpin.

"You have a lot of nerve, Ozpin, more so then you've had in past years. What brought this on?" Ozpin narrowed his gaze.

"Let's just say one of you slipped up and lead us right to you," Qrow remarked as Cinder flinched and then looked to her cohorts, trying to determine which one of them had slipped up and exposed them.

"So how about you listen to the man and come along peacefully. Otherwise…" his sword deployed into its scythe form as all their guns clicked.

Cinder felt her form shake as she glared at all the soldiers around her. This wasn't possible, she thought, there was no way they could've discovered her so quickly. There was no way they could've known that she was the one that attacked Amber and stole half her powers…unless…she looked to her cohorts as doubt seeped in.

Unless one of them… _betrayed_ her.

One of the White Fang grunts got impatient as he grabbed his rifle, yelled "For Adam and the White Fang!" and fired.

That was the proverbial match lighting the powder keg as gunfire rained in the warehouse. Atlas troops shooting with precision while the White Fang fired sporadically and randomly.

Emerald screamed as she was tackled out of the way by Mercury while Cinder summoned her bow and arrow and fired at the troops.

Qrow already speeding towards her as his scythe became a sword and he clashed with her bow. She snarled at him before the glass melted and she held two swords in her hands. But before she could attack, Ozpin was quick on her as he sped to her side and unleashed a flurry of jabs into her side and sent her flying.

"Cinder!" Emerald yelled as she drew her weapons and charged at the man, only to be halted in mid-air as Glynda suspended her with her Semblance. Mercury came flying at her, only to have Ironwood block his leg with his right arm as the two metals resonated from the impact.

"I see, so you have prosthetics too? You must have been trained very well." Ironwood said as he was all too familiar with an artificial prosthesis. Mercury cursed as he raised his other foot to shoot the man, only for the Headmaster to blast him away with his revolver.

"But I'm not some defenceless store owner, child!" He commented as he rolled his shoulders. "I am both a Headmaster and a proud soldier of Atlas, and I will show you what that means!" Mercury growled as he ran forward and fought the man.

Cinder managed to peel herself off the wall as she faced two of the combatants, Ozpin and Qrow as the two drew their weapons on her. The two charging at her as they clashed in a show of sparks and glass. Cinder was a powerful foe, but she was only half of what she could be. She was not ready to face Ozpin, let alone his second-hand Qrow by herself.

She was outnumbered and outmatched.

Emerald growled as she activated her semblance and managed to free herself from Goodwitch's telekinesis. Glynda watched her disappear as she searched for the woman, not realising she was right in front of her. She managed to shoot at her while making it appear like she was disappearing and reappearing before her, greatly confusing the woman.

Penny, who had already capture several White Fang Members looked towards the two as quickly decided to help.

Emerald drew back her weapons as she was determined to kill the Headmistress while her gaze was distracted. Only for several blades to halt her on her tracks as thin wires connecting the blades forced her to step back. Penny stood before Glynda as she shook her head and the illusion faded.

"Miss Goodwitch are you all right?" she asked as the woman nodded.

"I'm fine Miss Polendina. I lost track of her for a moment, she must have some kind of invisibility Semblance?" she wondered as Penny secretly scanned the woman in front of them.

"I do not believe so, Miss Goodwitch. I am detecting unusual activity around her eyes though. I believe she is using them to alter your perception?" she analysed as Emerald growled at her trick being discovered.

"How do you?"

"I am combat ready ma'am. I do not believe her ability will be able to fool me. Allow me to fight with you?" Glynda looked at the orange-haired girl hesitantly before she nodded.

"Very well, Miss Polendina." She aimed her crop at the girl as her semblance picked up loose stones and crates. "Let us teach her a lesson!" she ordered as Penny nodded and deployed several more swords from her 'backpack'.

"Yes ma'am!" she launched her blades at Emerald who cursed and tried her best to deflect them.

But she could not predict her ability to manipulate the blades, nor could she fool Penny's cybernetic eyes with her Semblance. It seemed Fate thought it was a good idea to have Ironwood bring Penny along for a field test.

Mercury continued to try and kick the man, who only held his guard and shot at the boy. His aura flickering as the headmaster slowly widdled down his aura. He reloaded his revolver as the man glared at the struggling boy.

"Surrender boy, there's no point in this," Mercury growled as shot back up.

"Don't call me boy!" he roared as he fired round after round and spinning it in the air before launching them at the man.

Ironwood defended himself against the shots with his metal arm, as Mercury tried to catch him off guard, but was a shock when Ironwood grabbed him by the leg and threw him against the metal crates.

Emerald was swinging her blades left and right, as she parried them against Penny's seemingly floating blades. But she was struggling as not only was she up against someone who was 'immune' to her Semblance. A barrage of stones blasted against her as she was flung across the room.

She was also up against the Vice Headmistress of Beacon Academy. She tried to once again induce a hallucination within the headmistress, only for it to be ineffective by Penny.

"Miss Goodwitch, I am detecting another alteration in her eyes. She is using her Semblance again! Adjust your attack by 12 cm's to the right" Goodwitch nodded as she redirected her attack and struck the girl in the chest with a volley of stones.

"Gah!" she screamed as she slammed into the wall.

Goodwitch gave the orange-haired girl a nod as she smiled in appreciation.

Meanwhile, Roman watched from the safety of his hidey-hole as his 'clients' were being thrashed around by the teaching staff and the Atlas Military. Roman was a survivor and he believed that joining up with Cinders posse would be a good investment for him in the long run. But seeing as how she was getting her end kicked and he had Neo on another assignment at the moment...

"I believe it's time for our partnership to come to an end?" he quietly tried to sneak away, only for several laser sights to aim themselves at his chest.

"Don't move!" three of the soldiers surrounded him as he held his hands up.

"…Crap."

Cinder was starting to lose her cool as she was double-teamed by Qrow and Ozpin. Ozpin has years of experience in nearly every form of combat, while Qrow had his quick speed and large scythe which made it difficult to use her abilities to their max.

Even if she had the full set of Maiden powers.

She managed to parry Qrow's blade, only to have Ozpin strike her across the face with his cane. She launched shards of glass at the Headmaster, only for him to project a forcefield that blocked her attack. She cursed and quickly moved out of the way as Qrow's blade cleaved past her head and severed a few strands of her dark hair.

She screamed as she unleashed a torrent of fire at the man, only for him to evade and shift his form into a bird, as he flew around her and back into his human. But before she could strike him, Ozpin sped fast to her and delivered numerous blows with his cane. Forcing her back and slamming her against the wall with her allies.

Cinder looked around as the White Fang, those that remained, were quickly surrendering to the Atlas Troops. Roman was on his knees as well as the Atlas Soldiers held him captive. Large mechanised tanks secured the rest of the building as she was completely surrounded by the teachers of Beacon and the Headmaster of Atlas.

"It's over, Miss Fall. Surrender." Ozpin offered one last time as he and the others aimed their weapons at them.

It was all falling apart, the years of patience, the careful planning and consideration she went to in order to prepare herself for the invasion of Beacon and the reclamation of the Fall Maidens power. But something happened she, nor Salem, could've possibly predicted. Something they overlooked that had jeopardised their operation Vale.

Something she would most likely be blamed for…and that brought her fear.

She looked over to Roman as she knew that any chance for a proper escape would require sacrifice, one she was willing to force upon the thief.

Seeing no other option, Cinder screamed in rage as she unleashed all the power she had in her soul and launched a power powerful fireball at the group, hoping to incinerate them all. But Ozpin was lucky to use what power he had left and shielded them from the blast.

"Now! Escape!" she ordered to Emerald and Mercury as she pointed to the hole. Both of them nodded as they ran for the hole. She quickly summoned her bow and launched an arrow at the thief, who gazed in shock as it sped towards him.

Luckily for the thief, Glynda managed to avert the arrow just enough to miss his heart and struck him in the shoulder. But didn't mean he wasn't in pain.

"Argh! You bitch!" he yelled as Cinder cursed and attempted to escape.

Penny, however, was ordered to capture anyone trying to escape and launched her blade at Cinder, wrapping her left arm. The Wires going taut as Penny attempted to halt her escape.

"You are not going anywhere!" Penny yelled as she pulled tighter with her enhanced strength.

Cinder snarled as she looked at the girl and her arm as she, in a desperate plea for escape, summoned a blade of glass…and severed her own arm.

"GAH!" she screamed as her arm flung back towards the girl, while blood sputtered from her wound.

"Cinder!" Emerald yelled as she quickly ran to the woman and helped her to her feet. "Mercury! The crates!" she ordered as the boy nodded and fired at the Dust crates, causing them to ignite.

"Everybody out!" Qrow yelled as they ran out of the warehouse.

A large explosion ignited the night as all across Vale, people stared in confusion at the large plume of ice, lightning and fire that danced across the sky. Especially a team of first-year students as they looked out from their dorm rooms.

Smoked permeated the air as the Atlas Troops and Teachers recovered from the blast. The warehouse in complete shambles and the hole they used to escape was buried under rubble and metal. Ozpin glared through the wreckage as their one chance to reclaim the Fall Maiden had just slipped through their fingers.

The teachers and the Atlas troops were attempting to remove the wreckage, while also loading the prisoners on the transports. "She got away, by the time we get this clear, she'll be long gone." Ironwood surmised as he looked upon the wreckage.

"At least we managed to halt her operations. And seeing as the Intel was correct about her, then Mount Glenn is another one of her staging grounds." Glynda said as looked to the mountains.

"I'll dispatch troops immediately to apprehend them. I doubt she'll be there though, now that she knows that we're on to her." Ironwood said as Ozpin nodded.

"But the problem still remains that she said she needed access to the CCT tower. If that is the case, then it's more than likely she has a plan to hack into our systems. Which means…" Ozpin stated as Ironwood quickly realised.

"Which means they found a vulnerability in CCT Network. This is not good, Ozpin." He nodded.

"Indeed, contact the Headmaster in Vacuo. We need to have the CCT Network temporarily shut down to rectify this issue, as well search our ranks for any more of her subordinates."

"Then shouldn't we also notify Leo?" Glynda asked as Ozpin shook his head.

"Due to the evidence, I have a grave suspicion about the Headmaster of Haven…one that I hope is not true." The others looked shocked but nodded in understanding.

"I'll report to the Atlas Council and convince them to have the CCT Network temporarily shut down for 'maintenance purposes' it will mean that surrounding locations will not be able to contact the Kingdoms for support for a short while." Ozpin nodded.

"A sacrifice that needs to be made. Qrow, I need you to look into our mysterious benefactor, find out who he or she is and see if they have any more intel, they can share with us." Qrow nodded.

"Glynda, you and I must convince the Vale council that the Vytal Festival must be postponed until we are certain that the White Fang has no more surprises. Then we must enlist help from Miss Belladonna for assistance regarding the White Fang." She nodded.

"Understood Headmaster."

"This has been a victory, a small one, but a victory nonetheless. But we must now be more vigilant than ever, in the likely chance that…the enemy…will strike again."

They nodded as the man stood before them, hope swelling in their chest as for the forest time in a long time, Ozpin felt hope in winning the war.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cinder was leaning on Emerald for support as her blood trailed behind them in the dark tunnels. She snarled and hissed in pain as her stump ached.

She was angry, furious and scared of what will happen to her now that she failed her mistress. She needed to know who had ratted her out…

And whom she would have to blame when Salem finds out.

* * *

Riverdale – Present Date

* * *

Jaune sighed in relief as he stepped out of the shower. His clothes all cleaned up and his hair mattered with water as he brushed it off with a towel. His body feeling much more refreshed as all the grime, dirt and stress that clung to his body for the past five months washed away down the drain.

Fenrir looked up curiously as Jaune smiled. "I tell you, boy, there is nothing better than a hot shower after five months in a Grimm infested forest!" he smiled as Fenrir merely stared then went back to sleep.

Jaune chuckled as he patted the small wolf. His new scroll beeped as Jaune felt hope that the CCT was back up, only to find it was the short-range burst.

He opened the text as he read the message from the Mayor. "Huntsman Team has returned from Patrol, sent them your way. Hope you get along?" Jaune read before a knock sounded at the door. "Well whoever they are, I hope they're friendly."

Jaune walked over as he opened the door.

Several sets of eyes widened as each of them stared at one another before they all yelled.

"Jaune!?" / "Coco!?"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter VII of Legend of the White Wolf. So, what do you think? Guess you didn't expect the unexpected arrival of Team CFVY, huh? I remember watching in Vol.2 that they were out on a mission before the Dance and Vytal Festival. So, I figured I might as well add it into the story.**

 **Also, I believe Penny would've been immune to Emeralds Semblance, as she had robot eyes and not organic ones. Just saying.**

 **Whether or not this means Jaune will make it back to Beacon soon remains to be seen.**

 **But, now that the Intel has done its work, Cinder will have trouble trying to reclaim the Fall Maidens power. And now that they know their faces, Ozpin is willing to move more swiftly. And even suspects a traitor within the Inner Circle. I hope this is going well, this is my most ambitious story yet. I am still working on Remnant Knight and Restart, I've just hit a few roadblocks. And I just can't seem to stop with this one.**

 **Seriously I can't stop, Help!**

 **Anyway, now that Jaune has teamed up with CFVY, he must now help them defend Riverdale until the Transport ship arrives and takes him back to Vale and his friends. But some plans have a nasty habit of changing. Find out next time in…**

 **Chapter VIII: Riverdale Raid**


	8. Chapter VIII: Bandit Rush

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demon's and Blight's. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **Decided to change the title because the Raid will take another chapter with what I have planned. So, sorry for the misleading title.**

* * *

Chapter VIII – Bandit Rush

* * *

Stunned faces stared at each other as Coco, Fox, Velvet and Yatsuhashi stared at the equally stunned face of Jaune Arc as neither of them knew exactly what to say next. While Fenrir just lazed on the couch enjoying the soft cushion.

"Jaune?! Is that really you?!" Coco laughed as she brought the junior classmate into a hug. "Oh my god! I can't believe you're alive!" she exclaimed as she hugged the boy.

Jaune was too stunned to replay before he felt another body latch itself on him as a crying Velvet hugged him. "Thank the Gods you're alive!" she said as she hugged the boy.

Suddenly the two girls let go as Yatsuhashi surprisingly wrapped him up in a large hug. "It is good to see you alive, friend Jaune." The taller teen said as he hugged the boy who struggled for breath.

"Can't! Breathe!" Jaune managed to let out before he was released.

"Sorry, it's just good to know you did not perish that day," Fox said as he gave him a friendly pat on the back and nodded to the boy.

"Speaking of which, how did you survive that fall, and how long have you been here?" Coco asked as Jaune chuckled a little.

"That is a long story and I only just got into town this morning, while you guys were out on patrol." He gestured inside. "Would you like to come in?" they nodded as they stepped into the house.

"Jaune we're just so glad you're all…right…" Velvet trailed off as her eyes were cast upon a small white animal on the couch. Fenrir looked up as he smelt several unusual scents.

Three of them smelt like his master and another like the animals he preyed on with his parents and Master. But they smelled like the ones that attacked them on the snowy mountain, gun oil and dust of the elements, a scent he did not like.

Fenrir got up and growled at the gathered teens, unknowing of their intentions towards him or his master.

"Easy Fen!" Jaune instantly said as he got between the wolf pup and the teens. "These are my friends, okay? Friends. Don't growl at them." He scolded slightly.

The small wolf pup slowly stopped growling as he looked at the startled teens then nodded as Jaune patted the small wolf on the head, much to the shock of the teens. "Is that a wolf pup?!" Coco finally spoke as Jaune chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, Sorry about that. He hasn't seen any other human or Faunus since we got out of the forest. I was lucky to keep him calm in the Mayor's office, but that was a stretch cause the last ones we dealt with were… _unwelcoming_." He told them. "It's okay now, he won't bite now."

Velvet, however, decided to remain behind Yatsuhashi as her instincts tell her to avoid the wolf.

"If it's all the same, I'll keep my distance." Her mind already racing with a small version of herself and the wolf chasing her for food.

Jaune nodded as he sat on the couch next to Fenrir in order to keep him calm. "So, Jaune. If you've been alive this whole time. Why the hell haven't you tried to make it back to Beacon?" Coco asked as Jaune chuckled dryly at that.

"Believe me, I've been trying. During the attack, I fell into the Black Forest and woke up a few hours later. I was injured and there was no way of climbing out because of the Grimm. I would've called but I lost my scroll the same day I fell into the Forest and I only just got out 2 weeks ago. And even then, I ran into some… _problems_ along the way." Team CFVY raised an eyebrow as they were intrigued.

Jaune then regaled them the tale of how he was thrown into the forest, how he had managed to survive using the skills he had learned from his home. How he made friends with the wolf family, and how he escaped the forest as well as his run-in with a White Fang Base. He omitted the powers he discovered, not out of mistrust, but because his grandfather had taught him long ago to keep his ace's hidden for the right moment.

That didn't, however, stop him from telling them about his newly discovered Semblance, something he was proud to share.

"So, after that, I discovered my Semblance, I repaired an old catapult to escape, ran across the White Fang at this base in the mountains, caused an avalanche and tried to escape on a snowmobile – which blew up – and then made it here on foot. That's when I met you guys." He finished as he rested on the couch.

To say that team CFVY was surprised was an understatement. They were absolutely stunned.

Coco removed her sunglasses as she rubbed the bridged between her nose. "That's…whoa…"

"Yeah, tell me about it." He chuckled.

"And you've just been surviving like that, for half a year?" Fox asked as he nodded showed them the dagger he made from his old armour.

"Yeah, honestly I feel like I should've died back then. But I didn't and I wasn't about to give up, not when I have people to get back to." He spun the knife in his hands as he looked upon the chipped and rough metal.

"But the experience has been… _enlightening_."

Velvet looked a little shaken up as she could not have imagined surviving for so long in a forest full of Grimm. Fox and Yatsuhashi remained silent as they processed what they heard. To be honest it all sounded a little preposterous. A temple that protected him from the Grimm, such a thing couldn't possibly exist.

"No offence Jaune, but we find some of that a bit hard to believe. I mean a Temple that protected you from the Grimm? That doesn't seem possible." She said as Jaune shook his head.

"It's true…there was some sort of temple in the middle of that forest that protected me from the Grimm. Here," he reached into his bag and pulled out his journal. "I drew sketches."

They looked through the sketches as they both marvelled at the attention to detail and curious at the strange symbols he recorded in the journal. Even the large mural of the wolves, warriors and the Gods that were engraved upon the wall in great detail. They flipped the page as they came across drawings of the Grimm he had encountered until they came across a skeletal being with elongated claws and a humanoid face.

"Jaune, did you see this in the forest?" Velvet asked with a nervous voice as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know what that thing was, but there were hundreds of them all over the place – but they only came out at night. Whatever they were they drained my aura constantly and I felt weaker when I was near them. The only place I was safe from them was in the temple. Do you guys know what they were?" Coco nodded as she pointed to the creature.

"That's an Apathy. We learned about them in our second year in Ports class. They're a type of Grimm that feed off the will of humans, draining them of the energy to live. For Huntsman, it would mean they'd drain our aura. You can fight them off if you have a strong will and resist their draining influence. But there hasn't been a lot of case of that happening against large groups. And you're saying the whole forest was full of them?" Jaune nodded as he felt the scar the apathy left behind.

"Yeah, but I tell ya, there was some good to come out of it." Fox blinked.

"Like what?"

"With these things infesting the forest they drained my aura on a daily basis, whenever I left the temple. But the constant draining and refiling caused my reserves to become larger. Because of it, I was able to become stronger then I used to be, and I finally have access to my Semblance. Pyrrha is going to be so proud when she sees-!" he stopped when he thought about his partner.

"…How were they, after I 'died'?" he asked as the team shared a concerned glance. "What happened to my friends?"

Coco coughed into her hand before she focused on the boy.

"When you disappeared, your friends were greatly affected, none so more than Pyrrha as she became… _obsessed_ …with getting stronger." Velvet tried to explain before Coco cut in.

"She blames herself for your death and constantly trains in the combat arena, rarely leaving other than for classes. She's basically forgone any form of social interaction. She doesn't even eat with her team anymore preferring to just eat in the arena. It's like she's just…running on autopilot." She said as Velvet hung her head.

Jaune slumped back into the couch as he processed this, "Oh no…oh Pyrrha" he rubbed his hands across his face and shook his head. "…What've I done?" Velvet placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault Jaune, what happened at the fort was not your fault. There was no way you couldn't have known what would happen."

"But I put my friends through so much grief!" he argued as he stood up. "I made them think I was dead for half a year! I made Pyrrha think it was her fault! She blames herself when I'm the one that got sucker punched by that Beringel! I'm the reason she's slowly pushing herself to death! And all because I was too stupid to realise, she had a crush on me!"

That little statement struck them like a bolt of lightning, as their heads snapped so fast, you'd think they had whiplash.

"Y-You know Pyrrha has a crush on you?!" Velvet spoke out of shock.

"Wait, you guys knew!? Was it that obvious!?" they gave a reluctant nodded as the boy stared before groaning loudly. "AWWWWW MANNNNNN!" he slumped on the couch as he buried his hands in his face.

"I'm such a fucking idiot!" he groaned into his hands

"It's okay Jaune, you couldn't have known. She kept it a secret after all…." Velvet tried to reassure him as Coco snickered a little.

"Not a very good secret, besides you're a guy. Guy's don't tend to notice these kinds of things." Fox and Yatsuhashi nodded reluctantly.

"But still…I made her so sad, how can I ever make it up to her, to any of them?" she placed a hand on his shoulder as she sincerely smiled.

"Just get back, that will be enough." He smiled back

"Besides, the supply transport is arriving in two days. Once you get back you can talk to her all about it then." Coco reassured as the others nodded.

"Thanks, guys."

Coco clapped her hands as she stood up. "Well, we better get some food and sleep. We've got another patrol route tomorrow and we'll need all the shut-eye we can get. But for you Jaune, I guess it means proper food and bed for the first time in five months, huh?" Jaune chuckled at that.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Come on boy," he told the wolf as he got up. "Time to eat."

That instantly perked the small wolfs ears as he shot off the couch and ran to the door. His little feet pawing at the wood and looking back to Jaune with a small whine. The others gave a small laugh at the cute display before they all left for the tavern. A lighter mood filling the air as they regaled on the days Jaune had missed and what he planned to do once he got home.

Unaware of the eyes of undesirables as they watched from the forest.

A man with a pair of binoculars smirked before he moved from the treetops to a large group of a gathered man. He bowed to a large man as he sat upon a large stone.

"Boss look like the town hired Huntsman, our _informant_ neglected to tell us that before he left with the rest of those men from the fort. I counted five of them and they all looked armed. Should we change the plan?" a weaselly looking man said as a large imposing man shook his head.

"No…they're just children. We can handle them ourselves. Besides, if they hired Huntsman, then that means they have valuable loot and supplies as well as the supply ship due to arrive in two days. We need those supplies if we want to keep ahead of those pesky Branwen's." He smirked as he motioned to his gathered men.

"We wait until tomorrow, then we take the town by force. If we can't, then we retreat and let the Grimm handle the rest." He stood up as a banner fluttered behind him. "Trust me, this will help secure the name of the Sabretooth Tribe. And who knows? Maybe when we have those supplies, we'll be able to deal with Raven and her clan…" he grinned as his fangs shone in the fading light.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear them scream" he chuckled darkly as the light slowly faded.

* * *

Next Morning – Forest Around Riverdale

* * *

When the next day came, Coco and Jaune decided to split the teams into two Groups. Jaune, Fenrir and Velvet would patrol the forest. While Coco, Fox and Yatsuhashi would keep watch from the village with the town's guards. That way there was at least a team leader in both parties.

The team of three strolled through the woods as they had their weapons at the ready. Jaune with his rifle, and Velvet with hers. Fenrir walked ahead of them as the small wolf pup searched the area for any signs of hostiles.

Luckily there didn't seem to be any.

"All right grid 2 is clear, let's move onto grid 3." The Velvet nodded as Jaune unfolded his scroll. "Coco, how's it looking on your end?"

" _All things are quiet here. Nothing out of the ordinary. Keep you posted."_

"Copy that." he folded his scroll as he pocketed the small device. "All right, let's get moving."

A small camera flash blinded him for a moment as he turned to see Velvet smiling at him with her camera in her hand. "Sorry, just thought I'd take a picture. Hope you don't mind." He shook his head as they continued to walk.

"So why are you guys out here in the first place? I mean this place seems pretty small in comparison to other villages. Why'd you guys get posted out here?" Jaune asked as Velvet chuckled.

"Well, apparently this village mines sand and gravel that is used for the constructions of roads and walls. You know aggregate minerals that important for construction. In exchange for the minerals and lumber, the Kingdoms provides them with food and ammunition. Every now and then they send Huntsman to protect it from bandits. But because it's mostly a quiet town with a rough population of 250. They usually send huntsman in training out here to get a better idea of what it's like on the border missions. And because we're second years we didn't need a veteran Huntsman with us." Jaune nodded as he, Velvet and Fenrir walked the forest.

"Cool, cool…by the way we never got around to it, but what happened after I left. Did anything else change while I was away?" Jaune asked as Velvet pondered.

"Well…don't say anything, but Coco and Fox are secretly dating." Jaune blinked a little at this.

"Really?" She nodded. "Wow, good for them. They kind of make a cute couple. What about you, if they're dating, I assume you must be doing the same?" She blushed at this as she started to fidget.

"W-Well there is someone I like, but he's very quiet and doesn't talk all that much…and I haven't really had the chance to talk to him about it." Jaune raised an eyebrow as he thought about who she could be talking about.

"Is it Yatsu?" she jumped when he said his name, confirming his suspicion as she looked back and nodded with a healthy blush.

"Well, take my advice. Don't wait, talk to him about how you feel before something happens, trust me on that…I kind of wish I noticed sooner with Pyrrha. Otherwise, I might not have ended up in that stupid place. But, to err is human." He casually said as they strolled through the woods.

Velvet smiled as she looked to the younger man as she noticed how different he was. "You know Jaune, I think you've really grown up since we last saw each other." He raised an eyebrow.

"You think so?"

"Well you seem more mature and confident then you used to be. I remember hearing on your first day you had no landing strategy for the test and vomited on the Bull ride over." Jaune blanched at that.

"Please don't remind me. I'm trying to outlive that Vomit-boy title. I know Yang still hasn't forgiven me for vomiting on her shoes." She chuckled a little.

"Sorry, sorry. But anyway, now it seems now you're more confident with yourself. You're holding that weapon properly and you're being cautious of your surroundings. All signs of a potentially great Huntsman" he smiled at that.

"Thanks…to be truthful I was just trying to survive. Just trying to get stronger and live past the next day, while also not getting my head eaten off by the Grimm. It was hard and I made a lot of mistakes, got myself into one too many close calls with death and learned a lot through trials and errors," he looked up to the sky as he reached high for the vast blue.

"But the one thing that kept me going was the thought of getting back to my friends. My family, and everyone I care about. If it wasn't for that…I probably would have died in that cave." He admitted as Velvet looked concerned for the boy but felt relief when he smiled.

"All right," he broke the silence as he gestured right. "Let's finish our patrol so we can get back to the village. From my personal experience, the longer we stay outside safe walls, the quicker the Grimm will find us."

The bunny girl nodded as she and the wolf followed the blond-haired leader.

A small twig snapped as Fenrir's ears perked and he looked towards the noise. His small nose sniffing the air as an unfamiliar scent invaded his nostrils. The scent of oil, filth and blood as he instantly growled and drew the attention of the two Beacon students.

"What's wrong, boy?" a small glint caught his eye as his instincts kicked into overdrive. "Look out!" an arrow zipped right past her head as Jaune tackled Velvet out of the way.

The two of them rolling on the ground before they got back up and instantly drew their weapons. "Shit! They spotted us! I told you we should've used the gun!" a voice called out as three men emerged from the forest.

"Screw it just get them!" they yelled as they charged at the pair.

"Bandits!" Velvet yelled as she activated her weapon and created a hard-light weapon in the shape of Weiss sword.

Jaune switched Merveilleuse to its sword mode as the bandits came running. Steel clashed against each other as the two huntsmen in training battled against the wold bandits.

Velvet using her Mimicry to copy the moves of Weiss as she sped around the men, jabbing and thrusting with her hard-light copy. Her movements almost exactly like Weiss' as she fought two of the bandits, while Jaune was busy deflecting and parrying the blades of the third who was the largest man of the group.

Jaune locked his blade with his opponent as the larger man's heavy mace forced down upon him and forcing him to his knee. The man grinned as he forced the boy to his knee.

Now Jaune had spent the last five months getting stronger that he could now face multiple Grimm by himself. But fighting a Grimm and fighting a human was a completely different battle. Grimm tended to be more brutal and animalistic with their attacks.

This sometimes made them predictable and easier to anticipate.

But a human could be tricky, change things up at the last second or even pull a dirty trick to tip the scale. Plus, other than his training sessions with Pyrrha and combat class with Miss Goodwitch, Jaune had never face another person in actual combat.

The most he ever did so far was hold them back with cover fire or knock them out. He doubted that he could even kill another person if need be.

The Bandit knew this, as he looked into the boy's eyes and saw doubt with them. He grinned as he quickly threw a punch to the boy's chest and knocked him over. Jaune clutching his stomach in pain, not expecting a sneak attack like that and failed to bring up his aura in time.

The large man chuckled as he prepared to smash the boys head in with his mace. But he screamed in pain as Fenrir sunk his teeth into his ankle. "Gah! Stupid mutt!"

Angry he kicked the small wolf away, as the tiny wolfs aura flickered around it as he impacted against the tree. However, Jaune had felt rage when he saw the small wolf hit the tree as flashes of its father and mother dying so many months ago came back to him and he roared in anger.

Caught by surprise the man never knew what happened before he felt cold steel run through his body. A pull of the trigger and his back exploded in a geyser of red as his blood sprayed the ground.

He looked down as he a mech-a-shift blade/rifle lodged itself deep into his stomach and the blood that slowly ran down it.

Jaune's rage dissipated as he felt the small trickles of blood run down his hands and his eyes widened in shock and horror, as the man looked back at him with a startled and pleading gaze before he fell over and landed beside the boy. His eyes still gazing back at him as they slowly clouded over with white.

His fall caught the attention of the other two, "GREGOR!" they yelled only to struck by a hard-light hammer before following the man into unconsciousness.

Velvet dispelled Magnhild as she looked at Jaune and the dead man.

Jaune stared at the dead man then the blood on his hand as they trembled. His vision blurred slightly and his breathing becoming slightly hitched as he realised that he just took another man's life. Something he knew was expected of him one day…

Just…not today.

Worry grew within her as she stared at the unresponsive boy. "Jaune? Jaune, are you all right?" Velvet asked as the boy just continued to stare down at the dead man and his own blood covered hands.

She sighed before she brought back her hand and slapped him across the face, snapping him out of his trance.

"Jaune, I'm sorry I slapped you and I know that you're going through something very hard right now. Trust me, I know. Taking another man's life is never easy, but we can't focus on that right now." She pointed to the men.

"These Bandits just didn't attack us out of nowhere, they knew we were coming this way and waited for us. They used an arrow to try and take us out quietly before we could have a chance to warn Coco and the others. Which mean they're more than likely planning to attack the village." She placed a hand on his shoulder and stared into his eyes.

"I need you to focus right now and get your head sorted. We'll talk about what happened later, but not now. Not while we're still in danger. Not if you want to get back to Beacon in one piece. Understand?" she asked as the small wolf pawed at his leg out of concern.

He looked between the wolf and the dead body before he sighed a calm breath.

"You're…You're right…thanks…" she nodded as she helped the boy to his feet. "B-But what the hell are Bandits doing here?" Jaune asked as Velvet shook her head.

"I don't know, but if they're here, then that means there must be more of them close by. We have to contact Coco and let her know-!" a loud series of explosions near the village caused them to stumble as they looked to see pitch black smoke rising from the forest.

"Oh shit!" Jaune reached for his scroll as he pulled up Coco's number. "Coco! Coco are you all right?!"

" _Yeah, we're fine! But somebody just set off some explosives at the ammo depot and the main gate! Killed four of the guards and injured several others. Are you guys okay?!"_

"We're fine. We just had a run in with some bandits, probably the same ones that planted the bomb. We're heading back to the village. If they attacked us, then it means they're planning to attack the village." Velvet relayed as Coco nodded

" _Understood, get back here as soon as you-! Shit! They're coming from the woods! Fox! Yatsu! Get into position! – zzzt"_

The signal cut out as her symbol faded. "Coco!? Coco!? Damn it! We've got to get back to the village!" Jaune nodded as he cocked back his rifle bolt.

"Fen, Let's go!" the small wolf barked as the three of them ran back to the village.

When they arrived nearly twenty Bandits were attacking the village as they fired dust round after dust round at the small village. Coco doing her best to hold back with machine gun fire, Yatsuhashi holding them back with his large sword. While Fox evacuated the civilians to the town hall.

Yatsu yelled as he swung his blade and sent two men flying. Rounds bouncing off his aura, as he quickly moved to his left side. The rounds bouncing off his armour pauldron as he shielded himself before he swung his blade again and knocked two more off their feet. A large bandit with a club came charging at the larger teen as the two clashed steel and wood. The bandit roaring in anger as he and Yatsu clashed with their weapons.

Fox, after making sure the townspeople were safe, charged right back into the fray as his gauntlets knocked away bandit after bandit with powerful shockwaves. But it was a one-sided battle, as the town guards were ill-equipped to handle the bandits, and team CFVY were the only ones with Aura and had to have the bandits focus on them.

Their auras whittling down as the men continued to fire on the town. One of the bandits pulled out a grenade launcher as he fired at the town. Fearing for the life of his teammates, Yatsu put himself in its path as the dust grenade exploded against him and flung him back into the wall.

"Yatsu!" Coco and Fox screamed as their giant teammate ground in pain and held his side. Wicked laughs echoing in the forest as the men fired upon the village, all while brandishing the mark of the Sabretooth tribe.

"The big guy is down! Kill them! Burn this place to the ground!" one of them laughed as he fired on the crowd. But suddenly gunfire resonated to their left as Jaune and Velvet came running toward them. Jaune with Merveilleuse in its rifle form, while Velvet fired with her copy of Merveilleuse as both teens fired on the men and rushed to save their friends.

"Shit! The patrol team screwed up! We've got company boys!" they ducked as their rounds forced them behind cover.

Jaune and Velvet quickly got to Coco as they slid behind cover. "You guys okay?!" Jaune asked as he fired at the men.

"I'm fine, but Yatsu just took a grenade straight to the face!" Coco gestured to the side as Velvet ran over to her partner. "They must've been planning this raid for months! No way those explosions were random?!" Jaune nodded as he fired back.

"Agreed! First, we deal with these guys! Then we worry about what happens next!" she nodded as the Team CFVY + Jaune members fought the bandits.

The bandits losing more of their men with every passing second as they attempted to charge at the teens for head-on combat. Which then led to a full-on brawl as steel clashed against each other. Jaune clashed his blade with the bandits while Fox sped towards them, delivering powerful blows with aura infused fists.

Velvet using the weapons of Pyrrha, as the hard-light shield bounced off multiple faces. While dust round rifle shots impacted against them.

Jaune slashed his blade against a bandit's chest as he killed another man. A feeling of nausea flooding his sense at the circumstance of killing again, but he remained focused on the battle. He had to, otherwise, he'd never make it back to Beacon.

Realising that they were losing too many men, the raid leader cursed as he sounded the signal. "Fall back! Fall back! Leave them for the Grimm!" he yelled as what remained of his men followed him into the woods.

"They're retreating!" one of the guards yelled as they watched the men disappear into the woods.

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief as he and the others gathered around. Burning wood filled his nostrils and the taste of iron was present on his lips as blood still painted his face. He wiped it away as he looked at the blood on his hands and the bodies around him.

But even he knew that this wasn't over.

"…Shit," he looked over to Yatsu as he regained consciousness. "Yatsu, are you all right?" he asked as the teen shook his head.

"N-No, my arm is broken, and my aura is completely drained. I fear I will not be able to fight when they return." Jaune shook his head as he kneeled next to the boy.

"Hold still…" he said as he held his hands over his arm which glowed a soft light. The large bruise on his arm slowly dissipating until there was nothing by untarnished skin. Many staring in awe at the sight before his hands ceased to glow.

"That should do it, how are you feeling now?" he asked as the larger boy slowly moved his arm as if afraid of the pain, he should be experiencing but was shocked when he felt none. He nodded to the boy.

"F-Fine, it's like my arm was never broken at all, and My aura feels refilled…stronger even? That is a very useful Semblance you have, Jaune." Jaune nodded in appreciation.

"But are you sure that you can expend that much of your aura?" Velvet asked Jaune nodded as he stood up.

"Don't worry about me. I have plenty to share…" he looked around at the injured and then to the forest. "And it looks like we're going to need it."

* * *

Sabretooth Tribe – Main Camp

* * *

The bandits stumbled back into the main camp as they were quickly grabbed by their comrades. Some treated for their wounds, while others walked over to the main tent as the large leader of the Tribe walked out.

The Leader of the Tribe's – Victor Sabretooth – was a large man with an unruly amount of blonde hair. He wore black paints with brown fur boots, a white shirt and a large sleeveless coat with a fur collar of white. His fingers were elongated and sharp with hair growing on his arms. He had inherited this tribe from his father – Creed Sabretooth – and had done many things expected of him to keep his clan afloat.

He had killed innocent, plundered villages and stolen anything of value to survive in this world. Clashed once too often with the Branden's for supplies and lost many of his comrades in the war for survival. But nothing infuriated him more than seeing his men fail.

"What happened. I didn't order you to attack the village yet. Why did you disobey my orders?"

"I-I thought we could handle those kids, boss! But they…they pushed us back, boss. My patrol team failed to take out all of the patrols and they managed to regroup with the guards. These kids were stronger then they appeared! We lost half our men in the assault, but the bombs went off as planned! They don't have enough ammo to hold off a Grimm attack and the East side Drawbridge is down! They'll be easy pickings! Forgive me!" he argued as the man nodded.

Right before he grabbed the man by his throat and hoisted him in the air. The man choking and gasping for breath as he pleaded for the man to release him.

"I do not tolerate failure. I don't care if they were kids or not, you should've been able to handle them. Now because of you, we lost more men than planned and wasted unnecessary ammo…" a quick snap sound before he dropped the dead man to the floor.

"Let his death be a reminder that your place amongst us will always be… _debatable_." He threatened as the men nodded with fear.

Victor nodded as he turned to his lieutenant. "In any case, are the _special weapons_ ready for deployment?" the man nodded as he grinned. "Good, once the ship is in view, we take back the village and hijack that ship. Once we have the ship, we pack up and move out. Our scouts reported seeing Branwen's in this area, we can't afford to let them take our spoils." He walked up to his makeshift throne.

"Despite this set back it does not change the plan. While it would've been more preferable to attack the village close to dusk, we did need the village under our control before the Supply Ship arrives. But because of that dead idiot there," he gestured to the dead man.

"They not only managed to hold us back, but they also take more men then we planned. So, we have to let the Grimm finish them off. But do not fret, now that they don't have ammo necessary to hold back the Grimm, we can simply take it back from their lifeless corpses. And once the Grimm have had their fun…" he grinned savagely as he looked to his men

"We take them from them everything!" the men cheered as he basked in their praise. Already dreaming of all the wealth he would make from the village.

* * *

Riverdale Village – Town Hall

* * *

Jaune's hands glowed with his aura as he finished healing up the last of the guards. The Hall now crowded with the population of Riverdale – which was approximately 250 souls – as they huddled together in fear. Near the Mayor's office a few pistols were spread out amongst the table as the Mayor – Alec Grayson, his assistant – Makoto Hazel, Coco Adel and the Sheriff – Samuel Colt, stood around the table as they discussed their current situation.

"We managed to recover some of these firearms from the depot. But the rest of rifles and guns was burnt up in the explosions, along with all the ammo." Samuel said as he sighed. "Luckily the old weapons were still locked up in the armoury shed on the other side of town…but what good are spears and swords when none of them uses dust?" he shook his head.

"It won't stand much against the Grimm, let alone bandits."

The Mayor sighed as he rubbed his hands across his face. "We're doomed. With the CCT still down we can't contact anyone for help. We can't get the citizens away in time, and no doubt those bandits are still out there waiting for us to leave."

Coco shook her head as she pointed to the map. "But the bandits made a mistake and attacked us during the morning. Which means the Grimm won't be here till Dusk. We can still hold out until-"

"U-Until what!? Help arrives!? Do you know how many villages thought the same thing when they were attacked!? And look what happened to them, they died! And it's going to be different because of a bunch of kids say so?!" he thumped his hands on the table, startling some of the citizens.

Coco's eyebrow twitched as she removed her sunglasses.

"I know you are scared sir, but I really need you to calm down. The last thing we need is to draw in the Grimm to us sooner. So, calm down or I'll make you calm down, got it?" the man glared before he shrunk down and sat in his chair.

"Thank you. Now…let's go over what we have left, see if we can't-"

Her voice was far away as Jaune barely listened from the archway. After healing the people in the hall, he stood close by as he listened to Coco talking to the leaders of the village hoping to drum up a reasonable defence. But as they talked his mind wandered back to this morning and the man he killed earlier.

He could still remember that look of shock on his face as he drove his blade right through him. The warm blood that trickled down his hands and stained his sleeves. The light slowly fading from the man's eyes and the stench that followed after…

It was unnerving how easy it was.

"You okay Jaune?" he turned to see Velvet as she walked up behind him.

"Uh, yeah, just…thinking about what happened this morning."

"With that bandit?" he nodded. "He was your first kill, right?" he nodded again.

"My first human kill. My grandfather and father taught me to hunt deer and boar, and I've killed plenty of Grimm since leaving the Forest…but I've never actually taken another person's life before. It's…unsettling how easy it was…I don't like it. It makes me feel…awful."

Velvet nodded as she placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Jaune, I know full well what you're going through. Taking a life…it's not something you'd ever think you'd be capable of. You think that you'd never be willing to take another man's life because it was wrong. But being a Huntsman doesn't really give us that choice. Sometimes that choice is made for us. And it's completely natural to feel that way, to feel guilty about killing others. But the difference is that you were protecting yourself, me and Fenrir, so It means that you're still a good person." Jaune smiled a little and looked down when he felt Fenrir rub against his leg.

"Thanks, Velvet. I needed to hear that." he looked at the leaders and then around to the gathered villagers as all of them had scared faces. Faces similar to his own when he fell into the Forest five months ago.

He looked down at his hand as he summoned a fraction of his aura and looked around to the people. "I know what we have to do." He got up and walked over to the leaders as they were in the middle of an argument.

"We should evacuate the town!"

"We can't! Not if the bandits are still out there! We'll never get far enough!"

"Then what do you suggest!?"

"We fight." The three of them turned as Jaune stood before them. A look of determination on his face. "If we can't run, then we have to fight. It's the only way we can get out alive."

The mayor chuckled at this. "You're kidding, right? Fight!? We don't have the means to fight the Grimm, let alone the bandits! What makes you possibly think we can fight them! It's impossible!"

"People said it was impossible to get out of the Black Forest, but I did. If I can get out of there, we can get out of this. Besides, we don't necessarily have to fight them, we just need to hold them off long enough to get help from the Kingdom." Coco shook her head.

"But the CCT is still down, we won't be able to contact anyone for another two days."

"Well, what about that transport coming in? That comes in tomorrow morning, can we contact it for help once it gets closer for the short busts?" the Guard Captain thought for a moment as he brought up a hologram of the ship. The ship was fairly large, with a large rectangular looking hull that no doubt held all sorts of supplies

"That could work, these things have to carry back large amounts of minerals we mine from the river all the time. It could, in theory, hold the civilians, if we dump the cargo before the village and push it to the limit…but it won't hold everyone." Jaune nodded as he looked over it.

"So, we get the woman, children and any injured on as a priority and get some of the townspeople to help us fight."

"Jaune, these people are farmers and miners, they don't have any combat experience or Aura to protect them. It would be a massacre." Jaune shook his head.

"I was basically the same as them. But I didn't survive in that place because I had Aura or any form Combat experience. I survived because I played it smart. I built traps, defences, anything I could think of to keep myself alive. That's just what we have to do here, we play smart." The others looked hesitant before Coco spoke.

"Look, it's not like we have a lot of choices. Either way, we're going to have to fight. I say we do it." Coco affirmed as Jaune nodded.

The Mayor sighed before he looked to the two team leaders. "All right, what do we have to do?" Jaune nodded as he looked over the map.

Riverdale was appropriately named due to the fact that the town was entirely ensnared by the large body of Water with at most a five-meter distance between the river and the fences. The only way to get in or out was from the drawbridges on the East and West sides of the town. During the attack, the bandits had waited for the drawbridge to be down when the guards changed shifts in the morning.

They somehow had managed to sneak someone inside to sabotage the chain links, thus cutting the suspending chains and left the bridge wide open. While also somehow getting to the weapons and detonating the ammo supply.

However, they failed in taking the main gate and failed to destroy the old weapons from before the mecha-shift technology. Which meant that at least they had some weapons to use to defend them. But with the amount of Grimm that would come pouring down on them. It was going to be a massacre. Which is what Jaune was planning on avoiding at all cost.

"Okay first: we need a lot of wood, rope and shovels. We need men to make a few traps around the perimeter. We also need to grab anything that we can use to make some makeshift shields and spears. Have two teams making the Weapons and digging the ditches. We already have the River surrounding us, we just need to get rid of the bridges."

"Get rid of the bridges! Then how will be able to run!?"

"It's the only way to keep the Grimm out, plus with the East Drawbridge damaged and the repair supplies destroyed we can't afford to replace them. Better to just get rid of them and let the river act as a natural defence then let them pour right into town. Are there any pikes in the water?" the Sheriff nodded.

"Our ancestors placed an assortment of spikes into the water to discourage Grimm from jumping in and swimming through the river. In recent years they've learnt to avoid the river due to how fast the river current is. If you're not careful, the river can sweep you far south of Sanus. But recently they've learned to jump over the river and make it to the walls. We've dealt with a few stragglers in the years, but this much negativity in the air, they'll be all over us." Jaune nodded at this.

"Okay, so we place some of the traps here, here and here."

"And what kind of traps do you have in mind?" the Sheriff asked as Jaune pulled out his journal and showed them some designs.

"A few I came up within the forest, and I few I've planned to make but never got around to it. And some required Dust that I never had. But, if we dismantle the ovens, and the appliance that runs on Dust we could make a few landmines with them. I know some of them will work, trust me. The next thing we'll need is defenders. People who are willing to fight with us to protect the rest of the civilians. I won't lie, this will more than likely be a suicidal position." The Mayor scoffed at this.

"I doubt you'll get many volunteers. None of these people will want to face the Grimm head on. Without Aura, it's going to be a massacre." Jaune nodded at that.

"Well if it's Aura they need…" He held up his hand as it glowed. "…Then we give them some Aura. I'm going to unlock their aura," Coco and Velvets eyes widened.

"What!? Jaune, are you crazy! Do you even know how unlocking Aura works?" he nodded.

"Yeah, you…place your hand on their chest, say some words and…unlock their Aura? I mean that's what Pyrrha did for me." She shook her head at this.

"It's not that simple Jaune. To unlock another person's Aura, you need to give them a fraction of your own. Normally it would take a portion of a person's reserves to unlock another's. To unlock all these people's aura, you would have to use your entire Aura supply." Jaune blinked at this as he thought back to the initiation test when Pyrrha stumbled.

"That explains what happened to Pyrrha?" he muttered to himself before he shook his head. "Doesn't matter, these people need all the help they can get if they want to get through this alive. Besides…" he smiled a little. "Someone told me I had a lot of aura once…let's hope it turns out to be true?"

The two leaders of the village looked to each other with hesitation before they nodded to the boy. Jaune sighed in relief as he stood up. "All right, we have a lot to cover before nightfall. We should get started. Let's get the volunteers first."

A short while later the entire town was gathered outside the main hall, looks of fearful faces present as they looked to the Mayor and his Sheriff for guidance. Instead of them, however, they were met with a blond-haired kid with a small wolf pup at his side.

"All right everyone, listen up!" he called out as he stood before them.

"I know a lot of you are scared right now and I'm not going to lie to you, our situation is dire." Fearful looks come upon their face as Jaune could practically feel the fear on them as he quickly tried to alleviate the situation. "But there is a way out of here!" they looked back to him.

"Tomorrow morning a Supply ship is going to arrive here to drop off supplies! We can use that to get the rest of you out of here and back to Vale! We just need to hold off long enough for the ship to get here!" he told them. "But before that, we're going to have Grimm on us by sundown. So, we need to prepare for their arrival!"

"And how the hell are we going to do that!?" one of the villages yelled.

"We need everyone one of you to help build up the defences, prepare some of the traps and make some shields and weapons! We keep the woman and children inside the Hall and hold out until the ship gets here. We need to do everything we can before Sundown! Because that is when the Grimm is at their strongest! But if we play it smart and hold a defensive line here! We can make it!" He looked to them all as he steadied his breath.

"There won't be enough to get everyone onboard, but enough to get the woman and children on board. I'm hoping that won't be that case! I'm going to ask some of you to help us fight! To help keep them away!"

Many of them looked to each other as they were hesitant about putting their lives on the line. "Look," Jaune spoke as they turned to him.

"I know you're scared right now, trust me, I know what that's like. Because Five months ago I was thrown into the Black Forest, a place where it was said that nobody could survive. My first few days there were filled with fear and desperation. I was so scared that I was going to die down there. I was so scared that I'd never see my friends again that I nearly lost hope…" he gripped his fists before looking up with determination.

"But then I remembered the words of my grandfather, the words that kept me going for all those days. _'I would not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurked beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the light. I will face my way through demons and blights, to make my home from darkness this night.'_ Those words gave me the strength I needed to make my way out of there. And I know they can give you the strength to face this challenge and make it out alive." Murmurs started to emerge from the crowd as they consider the boy's words.

Some even being inspired by them. One man, however, walked forward.

"That's easy for you to say, you have Aura, we don't. We're aren't going to be any help against the Grimm without it." Jaune shook his head as he showed his hand.

"That's why I'm going to unlock your Aura's. Give you all the power you need to protect yourselves and your loved ones. But I can only do it for those that want to fight. If you don't want to, I understand. But right now, you have two choices: Die at the hands of bandits and Grimm…or stand up and fight."

The crowd looked around at each other as they debated the boy's words. Could they really have a chance to live if they listened to him? Could they really get out of this alive if they followed his orders? What could he know, he was just a kid after all.

One man looked to his family before he stood forward. "I want to fight," he said as the rest looked at him. "If it can get my family out of here, then I want to fight." Jaune nodded as he walked to the man. He placed his hand on the man's chest as he closed his eyes.

He remembers how Pyrrha had activated his aura. For some reason, he didn't know why, but the words of his grandfather began to roll into his head, and he recited the words under his breath.

 _"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night."  
_

His hand started to glow with his aura as it spread over the man's own form. The aura changing from white to light green as Jaune felt a small piece of his aura sperate from himself and fuse with the man's own aura. Unlike Pyrrha however, he didn't stumble back as the amount he gave felt small in comparison to what he was expecting.

It was almost like using his semblance.

The man and the crowd stared in awe as the light green aura surrounded the man. He looked at his hands as the glow slowly faded before he turned back to his family who looked up in awe at him before he smiled and nodded to them. He turned back to Jaune as the boy nodded and looked to the rest of them.

"Now, who's next?" there was no shortage of volunteers after that.

* * *

Shortly after, the entire village was getting prepared for the Grimm as the men and woman who were capable of fighting assisted to dig the pitfalls and line the outer woods with traps. While the blacksmiths and seamstress got to work on make the bows, arrows and spears to be used in the fight.

Others had been tasked with dismantling the ovens and electronic appliances to harvest the Dust crystals that laid inside. So far, they had roughly 300 fire Dust Shards, 250 Ice Shards, 30 Earth Shards and 100 Electric Shards harvested from the generators, fridges and stoves.

Velvet got to work on teaching them how to assemble the dust into sensitive triggers, while Fox was busy keeping an ear out for the Grimm and Bandits. While Yatsu used his blade and strength to cut down some of the trees and shape them into pikes or reinforcing the walls and barricades.

Jaune himself was helping to oversee the work with Coco as both leaders tried to help where they could and make sure that the preparations were in order. Even the Sheriff and Mayor helped out as they hauled the wood or placed the mines into the ground.

Jaune and Coco nodded to the people as they walked around the village. The only reason Jaune wasn't participating was so that he could recharge his aura. He had awakened roughly 50 sets of Aura that day but had to stop when he felt his reserves reach low.

He had large reserves, but he even couldn't unlock an entire village.

"The pitfalls are good to go, and the extra spears and arrows should be ready before sundown. We've placed some of the hunters in the middle ring so that they can provide us with cover fire when the outer ring falls. We've placed enough of those handmade mines to dent their numbers, but hopefully, the outer defence can whittle down their numbers before that happens."

"It's a good thing we found some of that chainmail in the armoury. These should help us on the frontline." Jaune said as he held up the piece of chainmail that poked out of his collar. She nodded as she had her own on underneath.

"It's not fashionable, but I can make it work." Jaune chuckled a little before he leaned against a wall.

"You okay Jaune? That was a lot of aura you gave up, are you going to be all right for the raid?" his hand flickered with his aura before he shut it off.

"Yeah, I should be at least 50% by nightfall. You guys weren't kidding when you said it would be draining."

"And you weren't kidding when you said you had a lot of aura. I still can't believe you manage to unlock so many of them. You're like a walking aura tank." He chuckled as he shook his head.

"Nope, I'm just…lucky I guess?"

He looked around at the many villagers working hard to get themselves ready for the Grimm. He never really knew the dangers that these people were about to face. His village was more fortified and protected compared to this place, so the Grimm never truly worried him. But after being in the forest for so long, being hounded by Grimm day in and day out, made him realise how dangerous this world truly was. He had seen the devastation of Grimm could truly do and made him wonder.

"Do you think we're going to get out of this?" he asked as Coco turned to him.

"What?"

"Do you honestly think we're going to get out of this? I mean I said a lot of things to get these people inspired and motivated to fight. But truthfully, I don't know if it's going to work. What if the defences don't hold? What if the traps don't work? What if the ship doesn't come? W-What if-!"

A slap resonated on his face as he spun to see the unamused face of Coco.

"Jaune, I'm not going to lie and say I'm not scared. I'm _terrified_ about what's going to happen. I'm thinking of the same things you are. But I'm not going to let my fear get in the way of what we need to do. Besides, when I and the others were arguing, you stepped up and came up with a plan to get us out of here. That gives me more than enough reason to believe we can get out of this." She gave a playful punch on his arm.

"So, don't worry, we'll get out of this." Jaune rubbed the spot on his arm before he smiled to his fellow leader.

"Thanks, Coco, I'm glad you're here." She nodded.

"By the way, while going through the armoury we found this old helmet. Seeing as your Aura is low, it would be best that you wear it until your Aura is fully restored." She handed him a strange looking helmet as he stared at the metal.

The Helmet was completely enclosed with a grate-like plate covering the face. On the side of the Helmet was two horns that had been snapped off, and what looked like a red tail on the back that had been cut off. In all honesty, it looked like a cheap helmet you'd buy at a pawn shop.

But something about it made Jaune feel…familiar.

"You sure you want to wear it Jaune? There are others that you can wear." He shook his head.

"Thanks, Coco, but I can handle myself with this old thing. Let the others use the better helmets. besides…" he stroked the beaten metal in his hands. "I have an appreciation for the classics." He looked up as dark ominous clouds slowly drifted across the sky.

* * *

8 hours later – Night Fall

* * *

The Sun began to set on the village as the last of the defences were being put into place. A still silence hanging over the small town as they watched the sun slowly set in the distance. After hours of planning and preparation, the Village was divided into three rings in the Village.

The Outer Ring closest to the walls would hold off the Grimm that would jump the fences, armed with Long Spears and round shields – some of which were makeshift barrel lids – as they stood behind assembled sandbags and sharpened pikes.

The middle ring which had an assortment of archers and swordsman, all wearing makeshift armour and holding crafted shields. An assortment of landmines lining the street, that would only be activated once the last of the Out Ring made it past the safe line.

The last Ring was the Inner Ring, the final stand between the Grimm and people of Riverdale. The windows and doors heavily barricaded to prevent anyone from getting inside. This was where the woman and children were huddled tighter, as Velvet stood guard at the entrance with Fox.

At the Outer Ring, Jaune, Coco and Yatsu stood at the front gates as the sun slowly began to set. The light slowly faded as the village and forest were basked in silence. A single raindrop tapping on a leaf, before a light drizzle began to pour from the heavens.

Rain pouring down as a crack of thunder lit the night sky. Jaune looked to the others as he nodded. He pulled down the helmet on his head as the light rain tapped upon the steel plating. A distant howl caught everyone's attention as those who've faced them before knew the cry of Grimm.

Jaune narrowed his eyes behind the visor as he gripped his grandfather's blade. "They're coming…"

Red eyes flashed in the forest as heavy pants echoed out with every thundering stomp. A dozen or more Beowolves came pounding down the beaten trail as they sensed the fear and negativity that subtly radiated from the village.

Their mouths drooling with hunger as they sprinted towards the village. For too long the village had denied them the satisfaction of feasting upon the humans that dwelled inside. For too long their wooden walls and the rapid river kept them away from feasting on their flesh.

But now their fear was strong enough to gather the rest of their brethren. Now they were weaker than before. Now was the time to strike.

Victor watched from above the cliffs of the village as he grinned at the swarms of Darkness pouring towards them. "I never get tired of Watching the Grimm do our dirty work for us." He turned back to his men. "Get comfortable boys, as soon as the village is overrun, we disperse the Grimm and take the village for ourselves. It's going to be one hell of a show."

The head of the pack roared as they drew closer to the gates. Jaune and his men standing firm as makeshift spears and shield protected them.

"Hold steady!" Jaune ordered as he raised his hand. The beast drawing closer as sweat began to mic within the rain.

"Hold!" the beasts drew closer as they could soon see the red in their eyes.

"Hold!" the beast jumped as they sailed across the gap between the forest and their prey as they lunged into the air.

"Now!" Jaune yelled as a series of ropes went taut and large rows of sharps spikes burst from the ground, being pulled up by ropes. The first of the beast was skewed by the spikes as his brothers soon followed after him. Having little time to stop themselves.

Their dying roars echoed outward as their dying cry brought a sense of shock to the bandits and hope to the people as the rest momentarily halted at the river. One surviving Grimm reached out to claw at the fighters, even as its form was impaled upon the spikes. Before a rifle was placed against its forehead and it looked into cold blue eyes behind the plate of steel.

Its eyes widened momentarily before a loud shot echoed out and its head flew off its body.

Jaune held the smoking form of his rifle as he glared at the assembled hoard of Grimm. "All right you piece of filth!" he pointed back at them.

"Who's next!?" He glared at the beasts and thus, the battle for Riverdale had begun.

* * *

Omake: Time Alone

* * *

Around the table Jaune and team CFVY sat and laughed as they enjoyed the first hot meal Jaune had since he escaped from the black forest. Not unlike the fish or deer, he would cook himself. but these were made by professional hands.

It tasted so, so sweet.

"So Jaune," Velvet said as he turned to her. "What was it like in the forest? It must have been terrifyingly being in such a place for so long." Jaune, however, shook his head.

"At first, but honestly it was almost like camping again. I went fishing, trekking, hunting, and learning about the environment around me. It wasn't all that bad." he drank from his cup as Velvet nodded.

"Well, that's good to hear." She sighed in relief as she went back to her carrot stew.

"You know Jaune," Coco said as she ate her food. "I read once about what happens to people that are separated from civilization for so long. They tend to slowly lose their minds and develop strange habits. I heard one guy made a friend out of a volleyball once." Coco said as she turned to him.

"That didn't happen to you, did it?"

Jaune stared blankly as his mind wandered back to three months ago...

* * *

A Few Months Ago - The Black Forest - Just before rescuing Fenrir

* * *

Jaune sighed as he lay on his bed. "You know, I realise that I've made a lot of mistakes. Done things I'm not proud of, basically lied my way to get into beacon Academy and making my friends worry sick about me." he sighed as blew a strand of hair out his face as he looked up determined.

"But I'm going to make it out of here and reunite with my friends, even it takes me the rest of my life! Right gang?"

He turned to the crudely made statues of his friends as they stood in the centre of the room. They were mostly made of mud, twigs and animal hides as he had attempted to make lifesize models of his friends.

They were poorly done and was a little... _disturbing_ , to say the least.

"Don't worry Jaune, you can make it out of here. You just have to believe in yourself!" Jaune's voice poorly mimicking Ruby's as he looked to her statue.

"She's right, Fearless Leader! This forest ain't going to stop you! And when you get back, we'll have a pancake party!" The 'Nora' statue spoke.

"Yeah! So suck it Vomit-Boy and get back as soon as you can!" the 'Yang' statue said as Jaune laughed.

"Thank you guys, I know I won't let you down." He smiled before turning to the Blake statue.

"...Am I the only one that's a little freaked out that he's making copies of his real friends out of mud, sticks and leaves?" Blakes bored tone mimicking from the statue.

"It's not unusual to create someone to talk to. It's been proven to be a coping mechanism to deal with the ever-increasing loneliness that comes from long periods of isolation. He wants to form a companion to share his innermost thoughts with," 'Ren' said.

"But it is a little weird that he made us, right?" 'Blake' said.

"...Yeah, it is." 'Ren' admitted.

Jaune laughed nervously as he shook his head. "Guy's I'm completely fine. I've been here like two months now. I just got...bored?"

"Well I hope you didn't make me for any of your..." the Wiess statues voice shuttered. " _Personal_ preferences."

"Hah! Sex Pun!" 'Yang' laughed.

"No! I did not create you for that! Besides, I think I'm over you!" Jaune defended as he glared at the Yang statue that was laughing at his misery. "I really hope I get out of here."

"I believe in you Jaune," the 'Pyrrha' stature spoke as Jaune turned to her.

"I know this seems like a daunting and hopeless task, but I know you will make it out of here alive, and make it back to us in one piece. Then we can go back to being team JNPR once again. Because I have total faith in you."

Jaune's eyes swell up with tears as he hugged her.

"Aww...thanks Pyrrha." But when he hugged her head fell off and spattered on the floor. "Whoops, your head fell off. Don't worry I can fix it."

He picked up the head as he walked over to the mud and started moulding it into shape...before he stopped and realised what he was doing and fell down to his hands and knees.

"...I've got to get out of here."

"Pancakes!"

"Not now Nora!"

* * *

Riverdale - Present Day

* * *

Jaune chuckled nervously as he stretched the collar of his shirt. "Uh...Uh yeah! I definitely didn't go crazy in that forest! Nope, nope! Completely sane! hahaha!" he laughed nervously.

"Let's eat!" he tried to change the subject by shoving the food in his face.

The others gave him a blank stare as the wolf just palmed its own face with its paw.

 _'Oh, boy'_ they all thought as they seriously concerned the mental health of their wayward friend.

* * *

 **And Scene. Sorry for the wait, and the misleading chapter title. But I decided I needed an extra chapter for the Riverdale Fight. Also, yes, the Helmet is like Goblin Slayers. I'm just not very good and describing it. I love that manga, it's such an interesting read. Once you get past the Goblin rape that is.  
**

 **I just like how he uses his head to fight rather than rely on some ancient power. And that's what I'm trying to do for Jaune, make him use his head more in battle.**

 **Also, tell me what you think of the Omake, got the idea from Brooklyn Nine-Nine when Jake went to the isolation. I hope it got a laugh and you picked up on that Castaway reference.**

 **But now that battle has begun and who will win against the other? Will it be Jaune and his ragtag warriors, or will it be the Bandits and Grimm that want to take this home for themselves. Find out next time in the proper chapter title.  
**

 **Chapter IX: The Battle of Riverdale.**


	9. Chapter IX: The Battle of Riverdale

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter IX – The Battle of Riverdale

* * *

Specks of black dust floated into the air, mixing ever so slightly in the pouring rain, but never fully weighing it down as the bodies of Grimm lay impaled on the sharpened staves. Cold blue eyes stared into beady red orbs as the sound of a dying howl and a crack of thunder lit the night sky.

A disgruntled grunt exiting the mouth of the Bandit leader as he stared down at the Grimm that had – for the moment – stopped in their tracks.

Jaune Arc glared through the slits of his helmet, as the last body fell into the river. Washing away far south before disappearing altogether. He held his guard as he stared at the beasts.

"Shields up and spears at the ready! They're not going to fall for the same trick twice!" he yelled as they held up the sharp staffs.

The largest of the Grimm – an Alpha – roared as it pointed to the left and right of the village. In order to flank the village. But before they could even get around, several of them fell into pitfalls as they died screaming while being impaled on sharp spikes below.

The Alpha roared in anger as Jaune smirked slightly under his helmet.

He knew that the Grimm would most likely come from the East, as it was in the same direction of the Black Forest as Grimm have a unique sense of living in the direction of more Grimm. But in order to prevent the Grimm from flanking them, Jaune had ordered the men and woman to dig a series of pitfalls around the village and lined them with spikes. This was in order to persuade the Grimm from going around and attacking the village either side or from the West Gate.

Even if they did manage to get around and up the walls, the spearmen would strike their heads first, seeing as they lathered the walls with as much oil and slippery substances they could get.

Additionally, the men and woman that Jaune had gathered were around 125, only 50 of them had their auras unlocked with 75 others left to spread amongst the second and last lines of defence. The last of the civilians – around 125 of them with 35 of them being children – were huddled up inside. The ones with Aura would serve at the front as vanguards holding off the Grimm, while the middle and last ring would protect the civilians.

Good in theory, but Jaune had long since known that anything in theory usually never survives the first battle.

The Alpha roared as it commanded the others to continue their assault on the gate, sending a wave of new young blood to weaken their defences. A typical tactic of the Grimm, to wear out the enemy and then overrun them with unyielding numbers.

The Beast clambered as most were either impaled on the staves or swept away in the rapid below. Any that still managed to survive were stabbed with multiple spears as dying howls echoed out into the night.

"…They're holding out, is that going to be a problem boss?" one of the bandits said as Victor looked down at the village.

"No. They just got lucky is all, even a small village can hold off a few Grimm. But eventually, the Grimm will overrun them. It's only a matter of time." Victor carefully eyed the fighters at the gate. Taking a special keen eye to the man in the grated helmet as he seemed to be leading them.

Jaune thrust his blade into the mouth of the beasts before a shot exploded out the beasts back. He quickly brought up the shield he had on his left arm as he blocked a claw from a hungry Beowulf. Right before he sliced its head clean from its body.

He looked at his sword as he considered summoning Soul Sabre.

' _I can't afford to use my new techniques wastefully while my Aura is still recharging. Plus, I need that aura to protect myself and heal the others with my Semblance. I'll save them for the final push when the transport gets here.'_ He turned back to the men.

His eyes widened as more and more Grimm piled on to the shields.

"They're trying to push through! Shield bearers! Hold fast!" Jaune yelled as the ones baring shield buckled slightly under the constant weight of the Grimm.

The lancers thrusting their spears forward and swords forward, careful not to extend too far or else they risked snapping the shaft. The spears running through Grimm flesh and more howls echoed in the night.

Yatsuhashi roared as his blade swung out and he bisected several Grimm in his wake. His blade cleaving effortlessly through the beasts, as his blade reverberated with the sound of steel. He blocked another with his arm and buried one's head into the dirt with a powerful overhead swing.

Coco herself swung her deceptively heavy handbag around as the blunt object smashed and crushed her opponents' heads with ease. With the Ammo Depot destroyed, she could not afford to waste unnecessary ammo, thus had to resort to using her weapons default form. They had to save any ammunition for when the transport got in range. Which thanks to her superhuman strength, made it easy for her to decimate the Grimm without her firearm.

One managed to break through the defence as it pounced upon the defender, its teeth gnawing into his neck as the man screamed. His aura flickering as it was close to shattering. But Jaune instantly held up his hand as he activated his semblance and boosted the man's aura while sprinting towards him. The wolf beast howled in anger at the protective veil before Jaune delivered a devastating slash to its head and bisected the beast.

While preparing, Jaune discovered he didn't need direct contact to amplify someone's aura once he already shared his aura as fragments of his remained inside them. And seeing as he unlocked everyone's aura, he could recharge them at will and from a distance.

He reached down and helped the man up as he rubbed his neck. "T-Thank you!" Jaune merely shoved the shield back into his hand and pointed.

"You can thank me by holding the line!" the man nodded as he raised his shield and joined his brothers in arm. "Velvet, how's it looking up there. How many of them are we dealing with?!" he asked into his scroll attached to his wrist.

From the roof of the Hall, Velvet spied the battle with a hard-light version of Crescent Rose as she peered through the scope, despite the rain that continued to pour down. "They keep coming from the forest, but at most 300 and counting!" she fired as one was about to strike at Jaune from behind before beast fell to the floor.

"One less now."

Jaune nodded as he turned back to battle.

For what felt like hours, the men and woman held their own against the beast. Bone claws clashing with wood and steel as the beasts of Darkness continued to barrage the gathered protectors. A few got injured as their auras began to break and Jaune did his best to hold the line, using his Semblance to protect those with Aura and killed any Grimm that dared to cross over their barricade. Two hours into the fight and Jaune had hope that they could hold off against the Grimm.

But like the roll of dice, the battle changed.

Several loud roars echoed as several Ursa's barrelled through the Beowolves and charged upon the village.

"Brace yourselves!" Jaune yelled just as they slammed into the defenders, knocking away their shields and punching a hole straight through their defences.

Jaune cursed as he and the others got back up. 10 men were instantly lost to the beasts. One man screamed as his aura shattered and sharp teeth sunk into his neck. The bandit leader grinning from above as the first line of defence began to break

"They've broken through! Fall back to the second line! Lead them through the houses as we planned!" Jaune yelled as he fired his rifle at the Grimm.

They nodded as they got up and ran from the gate. Jaune soon following after them as the Grimm gave chase after the warriors. Victor grinned as he watched them run.

But that soon changed as more painfilled roars echoed out into the night.

Another part of Jaune's plan was to booby trap every house back to the second line with a series of traps, that would either harm or kill the pursuing Grimm. They were designed to trigger just as the warriors ran out of the house, harming the Grimm that followed them inside.

Multiple Grimm fell prey to swinging logs, suspended spikes launchers, sharp instruments, pitfalls and even a few ice dust landmines that sprung out from the floors and impaled the Grimm in towering shards of ice.

One was even crushed by a large fridge landing on top of him.

Imagination was a deadly and powerful weapon those who did not use it were doomed to perish. A lesson Jaune had learned all too well in the Black Forest.

Fox sensed them coming as Jaune and the others ran down a long stretch of road between them and the second line.

"Fox, get ready and set the charges!" Jaune yelled as the boy nodded and activated his scroll.

Coco, Yatsu and the rest of the defenders jumping over the sandbag like defences as the Grimm that survived the traps emerged from the houses and ran straight for the others. Jaune himself was almost there before a Grimm tackled him from the side and tried to bite his face off.

"Jaune!" the others yelled as he held back the beast by pushing the rifle in the Grimm's mouth, even as its teeth snapped at him. He grunted as he held back the Grimm and cursed as more kept coming.

"Blow the charges!" Jaune yelled.

"But you'll-!"

"Just do it!" he yelled back as Fox cursed and hit the button on his scroll.

A series of beeps resonated in the road as the Grimm stopped and looked at the red lights appearing in the road. Eyes widened as both Bandit and Grimm recognised the familiar sound of landmines activating.

Thinking at the last possible second, Jaune augmented his strength with his semblance and punched the Grimm straight in the face before forcing it on top of a landmine. He held the beast down and surrounded himself with his aura and felt his body lock into place.

' _Oh man I_ _sure hope this works!?'_ Jaune thought before the landmines began to detonate in a series of explosions.

The road lit up with a large ball of fire and death as the Grimm hollered in pain. Their bodies ripped to shreds from the shrapnel and fire dust as they bodies were engulfed in the flames. Jaune himself was thrown back as the Grimm's body and his own semblance protected him from the blast and sent him flying towards the defence.

He rolled on the ground, cursing along the way before he landed with his back against the sandbags. He groaned before his eyes widened at the massive flames that came rushing towards him. But before he could do anything, Yatsu grabbed him and pulled him over the edge. Ducking down with the rest of them as the fire swept over their heads.

Smoke littered the air as heads slowly rose over the sandbags and gaped at the destruction on the streets. Houses were set ablaze, black marks stained the buildings and road as Grimm parts littered the streets. Their forms slowly dissipating into black dust as it mingled with the smoke in the air.

Jaune and the others sighed in relief before Coco glared and smacked the boy upside the head, rattling his skull in the helmet.

"What the heck were you thinking!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Jaune chuckled a little as he shook his head.

"Not from a lack of trying." He joked as the older girl growled and was about to smack him again before Fox stopped them.

"It's not over yet, more are coming." Jaune nodded as he gestured to the assembly of large doors.

"Grab the doors, we need to hold this line. Archers get ready. More of them are coming!" Jaune ordered as they nodded as men and women hefted the doors and held them up as large shields. The Archers position themselves between the gaps. Jaune himself grabbed the bow he made in the forest as he aimed down the street.

Their arrows crafted from pieces of metal and dust shards that glinted in the moonlight as the yellow crystals glowed slightly.

Pulses beating rapidly as they waited for more to appear from the smoke and fire. The Grimm did not disappoint as more Beowolves threw themselves out form the smoke and came charging towards the humans. Coco swung her hand down as she signalled the archers to fire. Arrows flying through the air as the lighting shards exploded upon contact, electrifying and blasting the Grimm. But it did not stop them.

Coco gestured to the others. "We need to hold them off!" Coco yelled as she held her handbag. "Close range fighters get ready! Archers, ready with another volley!" she ordered as the villagers nodded.

The three huntsman and assembled warriors jumped over the barrier as they brandished their weapons and charged at the Grimm. Bone claws clashed with steel and wood, as the burnt street was thrown into an all-out brawl. Smoke dissipating from open wounds and screams of pain echoed out into the night as one by one both Grimm and man began to fall.

Jaune doing his best to keep the warriors alive, but not even he could keep up with the murderous intake of the Grimm. For every several Grimm that fell, another soul was lost to the void. It was on this day that he had to learn a painful and harsh lesson.

You can't save everyone.

Two hours passed and the rain finally passed as Jaune slashed his blade across the throat of the Grimm, before he drove his sword clean through its gut and out its back. Which he then proceeded to shoot the next Grimm behind it, before ripping the blade out and slicing another Grimm behind him. The beast falling into the mud that had formed from the rain.

He momentarily fell to his knee as the extended battle was starting to get to him. Nearly 8 hours of continuous fighting was pushing everyone to their limits and the Grimm just kept coming.

"How many of them live in this Goddamn place?!"

He cursed as a large Ursa came down upon him, before it was shot in the face by Velvet and then bisected by Yatsu. He reached out to the younger Huntsman as Jaune nodded and grasped his hand, pulling himself up.

"You okay Jaune?!" Yatsu asked as the boy nodded. A Grimm tried to pounce on him before Jaune stabbed it in the chest and fired.

"I'm fine! Any news about the transport?!" He asked as the larger boy shook his head. While bisecting another Grimm with his massive blade.

"Nothing yet. But it will be sunrise in a couple more hours. Hopefully, the Grimm will back off by then." Jaune blocked with his shield before slashing at the throat of another.

"I hope so! The Grimm don't particularly fight well in the daytime! So hopefully we can hold out till then! But This village is done for!" he bashed away another Grimm with his shield, before stabbing it in the eye as He drew his blade out and looked to the moon that hung in the sky.

"I just hope we hold out for that long?" he returned his focus to the battle, his blade flashing in the light as beast howled.

* * *

Beacon Academy – Headmasters Office

* * *

Ozpin continued to type on his keyboard as he finished filing off his report to the Vale council. The report was on the raid he and the other members of his inner circle had made against Salem's agent here in Vale a week ago. The raid ending with the capture of several ranking members of the White Fang as well as notorious Criminal – Roman Torchwick.

In the report, he explained to them the reason he deployed the Atlas forces Ironwood brought with him was to combat a potential terrorist plot. Which involved him sharing the information he had received from his mysterious informant. The Intel had pointed out the high possibility of an invasion force and thus forced the Vale Council to act and agreed to send a raid to Mount Glenn.

The secondary raid Ironwood and Qrow performed at Mount Glenn two days later only confirmed the Intel's accuracy. Large deposits of Dust, weapons, Mech's as well as a means of transporting them to the city. Luckily, they managed to ground the trains before they could move or detonate. For what reason they were rigged to blow, he could only guess it had to do with the tunnels under the city.

With this, he was able to convince them that the CCT Network needed to be shut down temporarily and address the vulnerabilities in the software.

He and Ironwood felt foolish for never considering that Salem would attack the CCT, their only means of continental communication. Salem more than likely had her own means of communicating with her agents across Remnant that didn't rely on the CCT. He should have realised that she would go for their throats before cutting off their heads.

After all, she still possessed all of her Magical Abilities and full control over the Grimm. While his powers had dwindled over the many centuries they have battled.

What use would she have of technology?

It had taken nearly all of his personal resources to convince the rest of the Kingdom's councils to perform the systems update as well as performing an extensive background check on all possible leaks within.

Luckily the evidence managed to convince the councils and revealed that the leaks came from those that were once associates and partners of one of Atlas' most brilliant but disgraced minds. But also surprisingly a mind that was supposed to be dead.

Arthur Watts.

A man who was as brilliant as he was corrupt. Selling technology and specs under the table, which had earned him scorn from his colleagues and the Atlas Science community.

Now that he knew how they planned to hack their systems, it became imperative to upgrade the software and delete any of Watts influences in the system. Unfortunately, it would mean they would be out of communication for a short time.

It was a risk, but vital if he wanted to keep the Kingdoms from falling.

He had contacted the Headmaster in Vacuo to be careful, as he had no idea what Salem would plan in order to get the Relic of Destruction. But in all the background checks and tapping into the past logs of Watts, it had also sadly confirmed his suspicion about the Haven Academy Headmaster…

Leonardo Lionheart had betrayed him.

This was all the more confirmed when he was found dead two days after the raid on the warehouse. The autopsy revealed that he had been sliced to pieces by an unknown weapon. Some would even argue it was the same way a Grimm would kill a man. How someone, let alone a Grimm, had been able to get into the Academy without any of the faculty noticing was still a mystery to the rest of the world.

But Ozpin knew Salem had a hand in it.

The fact that this Cinder and her associates claimed to hail from Haven Academy as well as the fact he had been acting strange, were strong indications that he had been turned. She had managed to get to him and convinced him, or threatened him, that it would be better to join her side.

No doubt she probably blamed him when Cinder's cover was exposed and decided to eliminate him thinking he either betrayed her or because he was of no use to her. It was saddening, but he had long grown numb to the acts of Betrayal by those he considered friends. It had happened to him multiple times across multiples lives.

They all end up either betraying or leaving him when they discovered the truth. He was just wondering how long it would be this time around...

But this victory had given him a strange sliver of hope that maybe things won't go the same way this time around.

He had one-upped Salem and stopped her invasion. He had managed to identify Autumn's attacker and now had her face plastered on every wanted poster in the entire world, along with those that followed her. There was a chance that maybe he could finally stop her and end his own curse, before the time of judgement. But he was sceptical. His track record was proof that nothing is as good as it seems.

Still, it wasn't entirely hopeless.

He still had to talk with the Young Belladonna to arrange a meeting with her father, so that he could arrange a meeting with the Head of the White Fang – Sienna Khan.

Now, you'd think he could just as well try and contact her himself. But the White Fang was a very… _reclusive_ bunch, as they have managed to hide their main base of operations and allowed no contact with any human whatsoever.

Getting an audience, especially if you're human, was hard if not impossible.

Which was why he planned to reach out to Ghira Belladonna, the previous leader, in order to help him convince Sienna of the dangers this Adam Taurus presented. If he could solve the problem, then he could have another potential ally on his side.

Speaking of problems…

He turned his monitor to the chamber down below to Pyrrha as she continued to train extensively in the combat arena. Well past the hour's anyone was supposed to be in there. A clear sign that the poor girl's mental instability acting out through her actions.

Before all of this, he would have considered her to be a viable candidate for the successorship of the Fall Maiden. But the loss of her partner had been too great a personal trauma for the young champion and he had to consider another option.

He was more hoping that she would improve as time went on, but that was unlikely to happen.

He shook his head as he knew that he had to personally address the young maiden.

She was pushing herself too much that sooner or later she would either collapse on campus or slip up on a mission and get herself and others killed. He had to confront her and try and help her through this process. If not, then he would have no choice but to resort to drastic measures such as suspension or expulsion if need be.

He sighed as he watched the young girl and could see how much she had truly cared for the young Arc.

In a way, it was like watching Salem all over again, before everything that had split them apart. The love and tender gazes she once gave him. The way she cried and wept at his side before his first death. How she had done something incredibly stupid to try and bring him back only to cause so much more harm for years to come. Yet in a way, deep down he still cared for her, even if he would never fully admit it.

Now he only hoped to pull a similar girl from such a fate.

He reached over for his coffee mug, only for it to crack ominously. He stared at the fracture then the moon. Unsure what to make of it.

* * *

Many Hours Later – Riverdale

* * *

The sound of the battle waged on as Jaune clashed his grandfather's blade with that of the Grimm own claws. His blade slicing and hacking away at the monsters of Darkness. He brought up his small shield to block its strike, before delivering a powerful swing that decapitated its head.

Coco protected his back by swinging her handbag and bashing away the Grimm, right into Yatsu's large blade as he bisected the Grimm in half. Fox delivering a series of punches to the head of a large Ursa as its body exploded and impaled multiple other Grimm with its spikes.

Velvet continued to provide support from the rooftop, as Ruby's weapon shot at any Grimm that got too close to her friends and allies.

The battle had continued to rage on for many hours, many died in the assault, but taking down just as many Grimm. Of the 85 warriors that volunteered to protect their families, only 43 remained. It was a daunting task, which none of them was sure would survive. But they had to hold out, in hope that the Transport would arrive.

Jaune noticed, however, that the Grimm were coming in less frequently. Which meant that they were either giving up, highly unlikely or that Grimm numbers in this area were slowly diminishing. He looked up as the sky was slowly shifting from black to a mixture of dark blue and orange.

Which could only mean…

"It's almost morning! Just hold on!" Jaune yelled as his words brought a small sense of hope. "Keep pushing! We're almost home!" he yelled as he clashed once again.

From the cliffs, Victor had grown both annoyed at the village's persistence, yet also impressed at how long they've managed to hold out. Normally a village of this size would not be able to hold off the Grimm for more than an hour or two at the most. But this one was surprisingly stubborn, planning as they did and using what they had to their advantage.

He had a feeling it had something to do with the warrior with the grate like helmet and sword/rifle. He seemed to be the one leading them, giving them orders and boosting their powers. Sure, the one with the stylish clothes was giving just as many orders and seemed the more experienced of the two.

But there was something about this boy that drew his attention. Something that intrigued the bandit leader.

"Boss." He turned to his second in command.

"The village is holding out longer than we expected, it will be daybreak soon and the Grimm are almost defeated. Should we attack now?" the leader pondered this before he spotted something in the distance.

"Not just yet. Prepare the weapons and get ready to attack…" he grinned as he stared into the distance. "Our main prize is here." He grinned never noticing a flock of small birds landing on a branch.

Jaune blocked, stabbed, cut and thrust his blade into the Grimm as the battle had boiled down to around twenty or so Grimm. His body feeling more tired with each passing second as the group constantly fought the beasts.

While the Grimm numbers had diminished, there were still plenty and large as what was left was the Alphas and the Majors. Jaune slashed his blade across the Ursa's stomach, causing the beast to fall on its legs, roar then stab it in the brain.

He drew his blade as he looked around at what was left. Two men had fallen to the Grimm, and their own aura reserves were dangerously low. Jaune could feel his reserves were at the 25% mark themselves. But the rest were almost completely empty.

"Just got to hold off for a little longer, just got to hold for a little longer…" Jaune grunted to himself as he continued to fight.

Velvet had long since jumped down, after using up the photo's she had saved in her camera and had joined the fight below. She was using her copy of Yang's weapons as she blasted the Grimm to pieces. But using her mimicry abilities was draining her aura, and the constant use of her weapon was using up the last of her Hard-Light Dust.

But she still did her best to keep coving fire for her teammates, no matter what.

Suddenly a small noise came over the scroll.

" _Bzzt- This Supply Transport A-297 headed over with supplies for Riverdale, I repeat this is Transport A-297 with supplies for Riverdale. We're seeing a large amount of smoke in your direction, is everything okay?"_

Velvet's heart soared as she grabbed the scroll. "Yes! Yes! Transport! This is Velvet Scarlatina! Grimm are overrunning the village and we need immediate extraction!"

" _Grimm!? What the hell is going on down-!"_

"There's no time! You need to dump the cargo now! We have women and children that need evacuating! I repeat! We have women and children that need evacuating!" Velvet yelled into the mic as the pilot in the other end nod.

" _O-Okay! I'll dump the cargo! Just-Just be ready! I won't be able to land if there are Grimm on the ground!"_

"You don't need to land! Just park over the roof!' she cut the call as she looked the warriors. 'The transport's here!" she yelled out as there was a brief moment of cheer.

"Great! Velvet get everybody ready! Just like we planned!" Jaune yelled as she nodded and ran back to the hall.

She burst open the doors as the women and children were huddled together, with some of the men protecting them inside, instantly holding up their weapons to protect them, even Fenrir growled ready to protect them. But relaxed once they saw it was only Velvet.

"The Transport is on its way. Everyone! Start making your way to the roof!" she ordered as they nodded and began to single file up to the roof.

The Large cargo ship approaching the village at high speeds as the work hands got busy cutting the tension ropes and preparing to open the main doors. Jaune looked to the west as he saw the ship approaching, feeling hope that this battle was almost over.

Victor grinned as he gestured to the men.

"Fire" he said and several large objects shot into the air. The objects appeared to be several large spear-like shapes with a flat surface and a glowing purple line around the edges. The 'spears' clung to the side of the ship as gravity dust locked onto the ship and held on tight.

"What the hell?!" Jaune yelled as the ship was stopped in its tracks.

What the bandits had fired were large tow cables, a weapon they had managed to steal from an Atlas supply train a few months back. They were designed to latch onto an enemy ship using gravity dust and infect the controls without damaging the vessel. Victor planned to use it to hijack the ship when it was in the village, hold it down once it landed so it couldn't escape. But because they managed to hold out against the Grimm for so long, he was forced to take it out from the air.

"Payday." He grinned as the cables began to pull the ship down.

" _Gah! We've been hit! Something's pulling us down! I've lost control!"_

The Pilots voice came over the radio as Jaune cursed. "Shit! It's the bandits! They must have been waiting for the ship this whole time!"

"Damn it!" Coco cursed, as she held off the Grimm. "We have to stop them! That's our only way of getting home! Gah!" she lost focus as a large Ursa slammed into her and knocked her back.

"Coco!" Fox yelled as he sped fast to the beast and delivered a powerful punch to its chest. Sending the beast flying back into several others. "Coco! Coco are you all right!?" she gasped and ground in pain as she held her limp arm that had a large gash in it.

"N-no. I-I think my arm is broken!" Fox cursed as he turned to Jaune who ran over to them.

"Shit! Can you heal her!?" Jaune looked at her wounds as his hands glowed, the wound started to close, but she still grunted in pain.

"Enough to get her back on her feet. But you're going to have that limp for a while, in any case…" he looked to the forest as the cables began pulling down the large ship. "We need to cut those cables, now!"

"I doubt it, from the looks of it those are high strength tensile cables, not even Yatsu's blade can cut through those with the aura he has left. And no doubt the bandits will be guarding them, it would be suicidal." Coco observed as he cursed.

He looked around as everything slowed to a crawl.

The Grimm were still pounding them, and their only hope of escape was being dragged down into the dirt. The fear that they felt was amplifying and strengthening the Grimm. With more and more of the warriors being killed by the beasts of darkness. He looked to all the faces as they fought the Grimm, the many people that counted on him to get them out of here. The many that believed in him that will die because of him.

He looked back to the cables as his hand clenched tight. Knowing full well what he had to do...

"…Fox, Coco hold off the Grimm for as long as you can. I'm going to go cut the cables and deal with the bandits." He stood up as eyes widened in shock.

"What!? Are you crazy Jaune!? That's suicide!"

"Not like we have a lot of choices! I'm the only one with enough aura left to deal with them! I'll cut the cable and meet you guy's back at the hall."

"But Jaune I told you those are high tensile cables, not even Yatsu's blade will be able to cut them!" Jaune looked down at his hand as it flickered with his aura.

"I might have something that will work…" he turned back to them.

"Once I get the cables cut, get everyone on to the transport. I'll meet up with you as soon as I can. Yatsu, think you can give me a little boost over the moat?" the older teen looked hesitant but nodded, as Jaune stood up and cocked back the rifle.

"But Jaune-!"

"Don't worry," Jaune interrupted her as he stood back to them. "I made a promise I'd get back to my friends, and when an Arc makes a promise…" he grinned a little as he looked back. "They keep it."

Coco stared at the boy as he confidently stood before the reining darkness. It strangely gave her a sense of hope at his refusal to buckle under this weight of everything. It made her feel confident that his words would ring true and that they would all make it out of here.

Jaune turned back to Yatsu as he nodded and sprinted to the east gate, while also cutting down any Grimm that stood in their path.

"Just be safe," was all she said as she got back up and fought the beasts.

In no time at all the two made it to the river, as the large stretch of water continued to stream down south. He looked to the older boy as he nodded. He placed a hand on his arm, amplified his strength and then allowed the larger boy to grab Jaune by the scruff of his jacket and throw him over the river. His body tumbled slightly before he shot back up and nodded to Yatsu before sprinting towards the bandits.

The larger teen nodded one last time before running back to the others. Fewer Grimm stood in his path, as most had been eradicated. But that didn't mean the battle was over…not by a long shot.

The sounds of his breaths were amplified within the tight spaces of his helmet as Jaune ran through the forest. The grate like plating made him feel closed off but focused at the same time. He needed to stop the bandits from hijacking the ship. He needed to cut the cables and hold them off long enough to get away.

He needed to get back to Beacon…no matter the cost.

His eyes focused in on the bandits ahead as several of them were gathered around the launchers. Large turret like machines that held the cable in one end and the anchors at the other. He knew that he couldn't afford to be subtle and stealthy, as he needed to act quickly before the Bandits brought down the ship.

He focused his aura into his hand as he focused on drawing Soul-Sabre. His eyes locked on the cables as he ran faster towards the machines, light shining in his palm as the completed form of Soul Sabre appeared in his hand.

The light attracted the bandits all too late as he jumped in the air and slashed, cutting the cable of the weapon in half with ease. The cable snapping back as it whipped out and killed two of them. This momentary lap of shock allowed Jaune to dash right past them and attack the second anchor. His blade shining as he severed the barrel in half. The blade of aura cutting the steel like it was a hot knife through butter as the cable snapped.

"Kill him!" one of the bandits yelled as they finally snapped out of their shock and fired at the boy.

Jaune instantly running as he did his best to avoid the multiple that flew around him. His blade flashing as he cut down any bandit that stood in his way. Jaune had found out that the bandits didn't have aura, as his blade easily cut the men in half.

Blood splattering on the ground as his blade cut through metal, leather and bone as their screams echoed out into the night. He ran past the downed men, as he destroyed another anchor, the ship jolting slightly as it was slowly but surely freed from its bonds.

"What the hell?!" Victor looked down to the forest as flashes of light shined in the forest and the cables snapped loose. "What the hell is going on down there!?" he yelled into his scroll picked up radio chatter.

" _One of the huntsmen is down here! He's cutting the cable and killing our men-! Oh my god no! Argh!"_

His voice cut as Victor growled with an almost animalistic vibe and he turned back to the forest, "Get down there and kill him…Now!" he roared as his second nodded and gestured to his men to follow him. Victor turned back to the forest as the flashes of light persisted before he too followed after them.

Jaune swung Soul Sabre as he fought against the bandits. His blade easily destroying any weapon they came at him with, as the blade had no resistance and weighed nothing.

He stabbed his blade into the gut of the bandit while pulling out the man's revolver and using it on his own men.

The rounds hitting two of them in the chest, as he used the now impaled body as a human shield. Their rounds digging into the flesh of their comrade, as the dying man screamed in pain before an aura enhanced kick sent his body flying into the others.

A stone was flung to his head as the metal rung loudly, but he managed to shake it off as he spun around and planted his blade in the man's chest, who fell to the ground like a sack of wheat.

"Thank the Gods for this helmet," he muttered to himself before he rushed to the last two anchors and severed the cable. The cable snapping like twine as the ship began to gain a little altitude.

" _Jaune, the ship's almost free! I don't know how you're doing it but hurry up with the last one and get back here!"_

Jaune nodded as he hid behind a tree as the dust round impacted against the wood. "Little preoccupied! But I'll get there! Just make sure everyone is ready to go!" he held up his left arm as he focused on his next construct. A little something, he worked on, on the way to Riverdale.

The aura swirled around his arm before a circular shield appeared on his left arm and he dashed out and charged at the men.

The rounds bouncing off the circular device as he mad dashed to the launcher. He ploughed right into the bandit and sent a pulse of aura into the shield, effectively catapulting the man into a tree and killing him instantly. He took a page from his partner's book as he flung the shield like a Frisbee and knocked several others off their feet before disappearing into specks of light.

He dubbed this trick – _Sentinel_ – after basing the shape off his partners shield.

His sword reforming in his hand as he cut down the last of the bandits before he severed the last of the cables and freed the airship.

"Yes! All right, the ship's free!" the ship continued towards the village as it soon crossed over the river, large containers falling out the back as the crew managed to dump the cargo. Velvet stood on the rooftop of the town hall as she waved to the ship. Which turned around and allowed the townspeople to crawl inside.

"I'm making my way back to you guys, be there as soon as I-!" a rocket shot right near him as he was blown off his feet and slammed into a tree. His aura cushioning the impact but still caused him to groan in pain.

He could barely hear the sounds of his friends' pleas, as his vision blurred momentarily, and his ears rung from the explosion. He looked up in time to see more bandits coming his way, as they were led by a large blond-haired man with steel gauntlets on his arms. The man's eyes glaring into him as he and his men marched towards the downed boy.

He gestured his men to fire as multiple dust round fired through the air. He summoned Sentinel – as the multiple rounds bounced off the shield and forced him to retreat back. He managed to hide behind some rocks as he dispelled the shield.

"Guy's we've got trouble! I'm pinned down outside the village and need help!" he yelled into his scroll. He ducked as more rounds nearly took his head off.

Victor glared at the supplies landed in the river and got swept away by the currents. His rage at an all-time high as he watched the civilians boarded the vessel. "Target the transport. Leave none alive." He ordered as his second in command nodded.

Several men aimed their rockets launchers at the ship as fired upon the vessel. However, they were using older models that tended to be unstable during flight. Which luckily meant that they either diverged at the last second or missed entirely. But they had plenty of ammo to spare and plenty of chances to hit it. The civilians screamed as the rockets exploded all around them. Coco cursing as she and velvet both used their chain guns to try and shoot them out of the air.

But they were both all most out of ammo, aura and nearly out of time.

" _Jaune! We got the civilians on board, but we're taking heavy fire, we can't stay here!"_

Coco's voice called out as a loud explosion sound in the audio as Jaune looked between the transport and the men firing on them. He knew that if they waited any longer for them, eventually they were going to hit the ship and kill everyone aboard. And there was no way he could get back to them with the little aura he had left. There as only one logical thing to do…

"Guys…get the people out of here and head back to Vale. I'll hold off the bandits as long as I can."

" _What!? Jaune you can't be serious!" / "We won't let you do that!" / We'll swing around and get you!" / "Don't do this! Think about your friends! You need to get back to Beacon!"_

Instantly he heard their rebuttals and their plea's not to stay behind. All their voices call out to him not to do something foolish when he had the chance to get back to Beacon in one piece. But he didn't care.

"Don't worry about me! Just get everyone out of here, now! Don't sacrifice all those lives just save mine!" he yelled as they went silent. "I'll be fine! I'm not going to let these bandits kill me! Just look after Fenrir and I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can! Just go, now!" he yelled one last time as he held up his rifle.

An image of scared kids passed his mind as he grit his teeth.

"Guys…please…don't let them die here…don't let those kids die…" silence sounded over the radio as Jaune held his breath.

"… _Just…Just get back to us in one piece, you hear me Arc! Don't you dare die on us!"_

Jaune nodded as he cocked back his rifle. "I will…I made a promise after all…and I don't break my promises…" he looked back as he gripped his weapon tight.

' _But to be honest…I'm not so sure this time.'_

He spun around the cover and fired at the bandits, his shooting drawing their attention as he managed to shoot one of the launchers and caused the rocket to veer off course. The rockets exploding in mid-air as the sky was briefly illuminated with orange and fire.

Jaune took this moment to move forward as he fired at the bandits, drawing their attention away from the shuttle as it piled on the last of the civilians and turned away.

Unfortunately, there was a complication with the ramp doors as the crew tried to close the ramp. Fenrir watched as the town started to move further and further away from him as he looked around for his master, only to find his scent going just as further from him. He looked up to see the saddened faces of his masters 'friends' and recognised it from his master when his pack family died…sadness…and loss.

This was something, he could not allow.

Faster than any one of Team CFVY could react, the small wolf pup jumped from the ramp and fell straight down into the forest. "No! Fen!" Coco called out as the small wolf pup's body jumped from the ramp and fell straight to the forest below. Its tiny body flailing in the air as it barked out in fear, expecting to hit the ground painfully.

Yet nothing happened as the wolf found itself being gently placed on the ground and a familiar pinch on the scruff of his neck. He turned around to see who had helped him but found no one in sight. Confusion soon passed as the small wolf bolted through the forest, hoping to get back to his master. Unaware of the transparent images of two familiar wolves that watched him from a distance before fading from.

Bullets flew through the air, as Jaune ducked from cover to cover, his rifle firing back with everything he had as the floor was littered with empty casings. His body shimmering with his aura as the rounds impacted against his form. He moved back to cover as he quickly counted the number of enemies in his way,

"Forty smaller bandits, ten of them with rifles, ten of them with axes, seven of them have swords, six with clubs, two with shields and five of them with side arms. Plus, big bad behind them, that makes forty-one all together. And I have…" he pulled out the last lag as he counted the bullets.

"Eight bullets left…damn it!" he cursed as he slid the mag in and cocked the rifle.

He looked back to the bandits and to the village as the ship drew further and further away.

"...This is what you would do, right Grandpa?" he smiled softly as he holstered the rifle to his back, even as the bullets continued to fly. He breathed in a breath to calm his nerves as he knew what was about to happen. "Let's hope I don't meet you too soon."

He undid the claps of his cloak as he let the tattered cloth fall to the floor. He couldn't afford to have it trip him up when he would face the bandits. He summoned his shield to his left arm and his sword to his right hand as he charged at the bandits. Their bullets bouncing off Sentinel as Soul Sabre shined brightly. He sent a powerful pulse through the aura shield as two were thrown off their feet.

"That's Two."

Victor's eyebrow raised as he stared at the weapons made from aura and the boy who wielded them. A small bird landing on a branch as it too looked curiously at the boy.

He swung his sword as he sliced through the ones with swords as their eyes widened with disbelief before they were met with either a slash to the chest or a shield to the face. He blocked an axe to the face and thrust his blade into his chest. He heard a weapon click behind him, as he spun the body around and used the corpse as a bullet sponge.

"That's Five."

A stray bullet grazed his cheek as he felt his aura slowly dwindling. It wouldn't be long until all of his aura was gone.

He pulled soul sabre from the corpse as he held up his shield and bull rushed the shooting opponent. His shield slamming the bandit into a tree as the man gaped for air, then cried out in pain as the sword ran straight through his gut.

"Six."

Multiple rounds hit his back as he turned and used his shield that was slowly crumbling and breaking. He summoned aura into his hand as he fired a high-powered Aura shot into a man and blasted a hole straight through his chest. Soul Sabre reappeared as he cut down the tree to give him some cover.

"Seven-Gah!" an axe hit his back as he cried out in pain, before spinning on his heel and repulsing the man away. He fell to his knee as his aura flickered and sputtered out of control.

"Come on! Not yet! Not yet!"

He shut off Soul Sabre and deployed Merveileuse's blade and ran towards the ones with clubs, his body moving out of the way of their swings and his blade sinking into their chests or dismembering their limbs.

"Ten!" he rolled out of the way of gunshots as he aimed and fired his gun.

Two more dropped to the floor as he cocked back the rifle.

"Twelve." He noticed that these men didn't have aura, which was why his attacks were doing as much damage as they did. He still didn't know why it was that some people had aura, and some didn't, as he often wondered why his father never bothered to teach him about it.

But that question could wait as he had to focus on the battle.

A club smacked against the side of his head as he fell to the floor. Two more piled on him as their clubs beat against his body, while their friends tried to work around the fallen trees. Jaune yelled as a pulse of aura shot off his body and the men went flying.

He coughed and groaned in pain as he felt his aura slowly dwindle to his last drop. The smell of smoke and ash permeated his nostrils and his body ached from the hours he spent fighting off the Grimm. Several clicks resonated around him as he looked up to see the bandits had surrounded him. Their guns pointed at him he reached for his gun as they cocked their weapons at him.

"Hold!" a voice spoke as they all turned to Victor as he walked towards him.

His form towering over the others as he moved past his men and stood a few feet from the boy.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble today, boy. I've lost resources, I've lost men and I've lost the supplies that should've been mine from the transport. All because you didn't know when to turn tail and leave. If you would've asked, we would've let you leave in peace."

Jaune chuckled through the pain. "That's a lie. You would've killed us anyway." Victor nodded.

"True, but it's the thought that counts. But I will admit I'm impressed by you. You got these band of backwater yolks to fight together against a common enemy, even held out long enough to allow all of them to escape…well, not all of you." Jaune glared as he slowly stood up using his sword as a crutch.

"But what really drew my attention are those abilities you showed. I watched your fight with the Grimm from start to finish and I've already guessed what type of power you have. But those…those are not regular abilities that come with Aura, who taught you?" Jaune spat some blood to the ground.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Spunk, I like that. So, here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to give you the chance to do the smart thing to get out of here alive… join us."

Jaune stared confused, as did the rest of Victor's men as they tried to process what he said. "Excuse me, what? You want me to…join you!?" the man nodded. "Are you insane!? Why the hell would I want to join you!? You're bandits, criminal, murderers! There's no way I'm joining the likes of you!" he held up his sword as he glared defiantly at him.

Victor sighed as he shook his head. "…Stupid." He turned to his men.

"No one interferes. I'm going to teach this brat some manners." He shed his coat and flexed his large muscles. His gauntlets shimmered with Dust crystals as long claws extended from the tips.

Jaune held ups his blade as the men circled around the two. The fire from the village bathing the forest in an orange haze as the steel from both their weapons glinted in the light. Jaune charged first as his blade swung through the air, resonating with the man's gauntlets as he blocked his attack.

Jaune kept swiping at the man, as he tried to get around the massive man. The man merely grinned as the boy swiped at his gauntlets, his claws extend as he took a swipe at the boy, who blocked with his grandfather's blade. Sparks raining from the impact as the two fought. The men watching silently as they took in some amusement from watching the boy fight.

Jaune was tired, exhausted and almost out of aura. He barely had enough left to keep his defences up as the occasional scratch broke through and cut his flesh. He grunted in pain as he felt his body grow heavier and heavier, all while a simple raven watched from the tree branches.

Jaune fell back into a defensive stance as he held his blade up in defence. He looked back as he noticed he had been pushed back to the village and stood near the river.

' _I-I can't keep doing this, I'm almost out of aura and this guy is really tough!'_ Jaune observes as the man grinned. _'Okay, all I really need to do is one good hit on him. If I take this guy down, then hopefully the rest of his men will back off and leave? Cut off the head and the body dies. But I have no guarantee that will work.'_ His hand shook as fatigue was slowly setting in.

' _Come on Jaune, just a little bit longer. Just a little bit longer…_ ' he raised his blade as the man charged and swung his claws at him.

He blocked the attacks with everything he had as he observed the man's attacks. Taking note of every movement he made and every slight twinge in his steps. He waited for the right moment to strike when he raised his right arm over his head and exposed his right side.

' _There!'_ he thrust his blade forward as he aimed for his ribs, hoping to severely injure the man.

But his eyes widened in shock as he came into contact with a shimmering veil of light over his chest. A light that Jaune had become all too familiar with.

 _'Aura…the man has aura!'_

Victor grabbed the blade as he grinned. "Surprised? My grandfather was a Huntsman during the Great War before he was exiled for treason. He taught my father to use aura and then my father taught me. The only reason we've kept it from this lot so no one would be brave enough to challenge us." He held the blade with his hand as he twisted the sword in his hand and forced the boy's arm to turn.

"On our enemies, however, it makes for a nice surprise."

Lighting dust surged around his gauntlet as he punched the boy in the face. The metal of his helmet ringing loudly as blood spat out of Jaune's mouth and he flew back while the bandits laughed. He tried to stand up but was soon picked up by the scruff of his collar as Victor grinned at him.

He delivered a powerful blow to the boy's stomach as he gasped in pain. Followed by another to the face and then another. The metal gauntlets striking hard and true as his aura shimmered and sputtered from each blow. Until the last blow where the aura shattered, and his neck was grasped firmly in the man's own. Jaune chocked and gasped for breath as he fumbled at the man's grasp.

"It's a shame really. You could have held such potential, yet you chose the path of a Huntsman, the path of a Hero. But let me tell you something that all those paths have in common…" his claws extended, and he thrust them into his stomach.

"They all end in needless death."

Jaune gasped in pain as the claws dug into his chest. The Chainmail slowing their progress from going any further but could not stop them from going into his flesh. Warm blood flowed from his wounds as he felt them leak from his stomach and his legs.

His stomach was in massive pain and he could barely let out a cry as the man held him by the neck. Blood splashed from his lips and ran out the grate of his helmet. His vision blurred as the man's face twisted into a savage grin and the laughter of his men around him resonated.

"It's a real shame, I honestly would've let you join us. But you had to be the good guy, the loyal dog of the Kingdoms." Fire dust injected into his gauntlet as flames seared into the five puncture marks in Jaune's stomach as he screamed in pain.

"Now be a good boy…" he shifted to gravity dust and dropped the boy as he reared back his arm. "And play dead!"

His fist slamming into his chest as he was flung back towards the village, his body slamming through the wooden fence his body careened through the village before slamming into the remains of a home that toppled over on top of him.

Victor grinned as his men cheered, while he picked up the fallen Merveilleuse. "Nice sword…" he sheathed it to his back as he gestured to his men. "Search the village, see if we can salvage anything from the wreckages." His men nodded as they stormed the village.

Jaune's groaned in pain as piles of wood and rubble covered his body. Blood leaking from his body, as the intense burning claw marks in his chest, singed his flesh. His vision clouding over into darkness as sound and light slowly left his form.

"Shit…shit…is this…is this really how it ends?" he struggled to breathe through the pain as his eyes grew heavier. "I-I was close, so close to getting home…but like an idiot I had to put myself in danger…" he shook his head.

"B-But then again, I think that's what anyone would do…that's w-what a real H-Huntsman would…" his vision faded as he slowly faded into the black.

"I'm sorry everyone…I did my best…"

" _ **Bullshit."**_

Jaune's eyes snapped open as he found himself in a realm of darkness.

" _ **You didn't try your best. You got your ass kicked and now you're giving up when it matters the most. Pathetic."**_

He looked around as the voice resonated from everywhere. "W-Who's there?! Who are you?!"

 _ **"Who am I? I am you, dipshit. I'm the you that pulled yourself out of that shithole five months ago. I'm the you that didn't give up when you were stuck in that god-awful place. I'm what you want to be, what you could be and what you can be. I'm what we needed to become to get out of there. I'm the power that dwells inside you. I am your soul."**_

"My…soul?"

" _ **Now what the hell are you doing? Are you seriously just going to lay there dying while our friends are worried sick about us? They already thought we were dead five months ago, how do you think they're going to react when they find out we died here by some lowlife bandits? Get up and fight!"**_

"I-I can't…I'm out of aura, there's nothing I can do." The voice scoffed.

 _ **"So what? We didn't have any aura for the first three months in the forest. What makes this any different?"**_

"T-They have men, more power and now my weapon and all I have is my dagger. What could I possibly do with that? I'm dead without my aura, I-!" his other laughed at him.

" _ **We had just that much when we first fell into the Forest, so this is no different. And as for Aura, do honestly think that you're out of aura? That as soon as it shatters, you're dead? If that were the case, then every person on the planet would've died the moment their aura was shattered. No, you still have power deep inside."**_

Jaune was mored confused at this point. "W-What do you mean?"

" _ **What do you think aura is? 'It is the manifestation of our soul. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts.' That's what Pyrrha told us, right? And when our Aura is spent it has to recharge when we're given time to heal and rest. But the fact is that power still comes from your soul, your very being. So long as your soul exist, your aura can still take shape."**_

"From my very...being."

 _ **"You just need to** **draw out more of that power if you want to get out of here. Because** **y** **ou made a promise to make it back to your friends no matter what. You still have to keep that promise and when an Arc makes a promise…"**_

"We…keep it." Jaune finished. Above him, a giant ball of white light appeared almost like the sun, as it shone in the darkness. He reached out his hand as if trying to grab the ball of power.

" _ **So, reach down deep inside and draw that power out."**_

White Aura began to swarm around his body as Jaune reached out and drew in the power into himself.

" _ **Get back up…"**_

From the darkness of his helmet, a white light flashed from his eye as his body began to glow.

" _ **And fight!"**_

His left hand flexed as the aura gathered around his palm and he thrust it forward.

Earlier, the bandits crossed the river with their makeshift bridge as they began to scour the village for anything salvageable. The raid may have been a failure, and the ship managed to dump their supplies into the river. But at least now they could search the remains of the village without any issue.

A loud explosion caused them all to turn their heads as bits and pieces of a house began to rain down. The bandits moved out of the way, as the pieces of rubble smashed down upon them. Victor looked confused as his men pulled themselves from the rubble.

He looked to the source as a form began to emerge from the ruins.

Jaune stood before the muted masses as his body radiated with his aura before it slowly faded. A single white light seemed to shine from within the darkness of the helmet as he glared at the assembled bandits.

Victor stared in utter confusion before he chuckled and shook his head.

"I've got to admit, you sure don't know when to give up, do you boy?" he said nothing as Jaune just glared at the men. Victor glared as he gestured to his men.

"Kill him, and make sure he stays dead this time." He ordered as his men nodded and drew their weapons.

Unknown to the bandits, however, Jaune he was sensing so much more as he felt the very presence of everyone around the village. He could see the small flames of their aura as they flickered in their chests, while Victors surrounded his entire body. His hand curled into a fist as the men aimed at him.

The men with the rifle aimed as they fired at the boy, their rounds flying through the air as they sped towards him. Only to bounce off a pure white shield that appeared in front of him.

This brought confusion before the aura swarmed around his arms and the gauntlets of light took shape. But instead of claws, two-foot-long blades appeared as they sprung out from the top of the white 'metal'. Tensions rose as Jaune's semblance coursed through his body and his natural abilities became amplified.

His body lurched forward before he shot off at high speed to the bandits.

They barely had time to react as Jaune plunged his new blades into the first man's chest. The white blades effortlessly cut through the leather-bound armour as the man screamed in pain. He retracted the blade and swiftly cut down the man next to him, as the man's body fell in half.

Jaune's eye flashed as he spun around planted his new blades into the chest of another as he delivered a series of stabs, before punching the last into the air and stabbing him back into the ground.

He looked up as the helmet shrouded his face in the darkness and his eyes almost seemed to glow within the dark confines.

This finally got the others to snap out of their shock as they charged at the boy. The ones left with rifles firing at him, as Jaune moved out of the way and ducked back into the buildings.

"Shit! Get him!" Victor roared as his men chased after him.

The bandits searching the buildings as the fires of the Grimm battle still burned in the slowly rising sun. A blur shot around them, as the men fired only to find nothing. From behind the building a bow of light appearing in his hand as he shot several arrows at them. The arrows punching right through the walls and hit their targets with frightening accuracy as three more men fell to the floor.

One of the men roared as they rounded the cornered and charged at the boy. Soul Sabre manifesting as he swung his blade and destroyed their weapons, before dismembering or beheading the four men. He dived into a building as those that still lived grabbed their friend's fallen weapons and fired at him.

They gave chase as they searched for his whereabouts.

"Shit! Where the fuck is, he!?" one of them cursed as he and the others searched.

A shadow crept around them as Jaune silently watched from his hiding place. They were becoming more disorganised and scared. Good, they wouldn't be as focused as before. Throw your enemy off balance and you can turn the tide of any battle. One got separated as he searched for the boy within the crumbling building.

His hand shaking as he had just watched someone that should've died by their leader come back and start killing off several of their comrades. "Shit! Shit! Shit! What the fuck is happening!?"

Jaune snuck up behind him as the man's spun around and Jaune ran towards him. "I found him! He's-!" he never got to finish as a helmet slammed down on his head and his head was encased within the metal protection. A swift kick pushed him out the door as the man stumbled back.

"There he is!" he heard his comrades yell before he looked towards them, only to get a belly full of dust.

They had reacted without thinking, saw the helmet and shot without asking questions. Thus, they had unintentionally shot their ally as they realised all too late as his body fell to the floor.

But they didn't have time to react as Jaune ran towards them, his hand foraged blade sinking into the neck of a spike-helmeted man before pulling the blade free. He grabbed the spiked helmet from the dead man as he spun around and slammed it into another man's face, instantly caving his face in. He summoned a Soul Shard in his hand and threw it at the last patrolling man, his blade struck true between his eyes and the man fell dead.

Jaune grabbed his helmet off the dead man as he placed it back on and glared at the village. He strangely found comfort within the helmet as it helped him focus on what needed to be done.

He felt his body wouldn't last much longer now that it was running on fumes. But he still persevered before he slinked back into the shadows.

Victor growled as he rounded the corner, only to find more of his dead men and the cries of his remaining men as they continued to echo within the burning village. Those that stayed beside him shook in fear as the screams grew louder. He looked around as he saw doubt and fear welling up inside his men and cursed as he wondered what the hell this boy was. He was like something out of a nightmare, killing his men with brutality and cold cunning. Using his men's fear and idiocy to his advantage as he cut them down one by one.

From the corner of his eye he could've sworn he saw something, but it was gone by the time he turned around.

He growled as his claws extended and he looked around. "Show yourself! Stop hiding and face me like a man!" a shadow moved around them as the men got jumpy and opened fire.

This only served to distract them, as an arrow of light shot through the wall and killed another. "Shit! Fucking shit! Where the fuck is he!?" one of them yelled as they kept firing.

Victor growled as he kept his ears open and his eyes scanning for any sign of the Huntsman. His claws extending and flexing as he growled in annoyance of the one pest that seemed to not know when to quit. A small noise from the rubble drew his attention as he spun around only to stare at a full-grown white wolf. The wolf growling menacingly as Victor stared into his eyes and flinched back.

Only then did he hear the sound of screaming behind him.

He turned to see Jaune rush forth to the last of his men in the village, as another blade of aura shined in his hand and he cut down his men. His blade leaving a trail of light as he cut down another man. His men tried to fight him off, but he summoned two Soul Shards in his hand and sunk them into a man's eyes.

The man screamed as Jaune picked up his club and killed another with the blunt object. Blood splattering on his person as it almost covered the young man.

Victor growled as he activated the ice dust on his gauntlet and sent a barrage of ice shards across the ground. Jaune instantly jumping out of the way as he skidded back before he dodged another attack from the leader who ran up to him.

"You have become a major pain in my ass!" Victor yelled and threw his fist that shot a ball of fire at him, who ducked and grabbed his arm.

"I aim to please!" Jaune yelled as he kicked the man in the face with an aura enhanced kick. The blow temporarily disorienting the man long enough for Jaune to summon Soul Sabre and strike the man hard on the chest. The large man felt his aura taking massive damage, as he stumbled back.

But Jaune was not down as he spun around and slashed his stomach, avoiding his fist, and then striking him again. Each blow severely impacting the man's aura as he grew angrier and more unfocused. He roared with a vengeful fury as Gravity Dust swarmed around his fist and he punched the ground, releasing a large pulse of Gravity.

Everyone and everything was thrown up into the air as Jaune momentarily lost his footing before Victor grabbed him by the throat again. He lifted the boy as he glared into his eyes.

"This ends now!" he yelled as he tightened his grip. "This is no fairy tale boy, and you're no hero!" he yelled as he pulled back his arm to gut the boy.

But before he did a growl caught his attention as he looked behind the boy to see another white wolf, the animal growling at him as he got lost within the blue of its eyes.

"You're right, I am no hero…" Jaune muttered as he gathered his aura to his left hand.

"Which means I can do this!"

He thrust his hand forward as his fingers were coated in a sharp white aura. Punching right through his aura and plunged them into the man's right eye. The man screamed as Jaune plucked the eye from his skull and he was dropped to the ground.

With little thinking left he grabbed the rifle off the man's back and shot him several times, causing the last of the man's aura to shatter. He dropped the rifle as he focused his aura as the white energy swirled around his right hand as he pulled back his fist and flung it at the man. The man could only stare at the world moved to a crawl.

The aura twisting and shaping around the boy's fist as it changed its shape into that of an angry wolfs head and impacted into the man's chest.

A large pulse shot the man far back as he barrelled through building after building before, he collided with the walls of the village. The last of the bandits staring in shock as their leader was rendered unconscious and bleeding, with what looked like a set of wolfs teeth burned into his flesh.

" **Now…"** a dark and angry voice spoke as they turned back to the slowly standing boy.

 **"Who's next?"** he picked up his rifle as he propped himself up and glared at the men.

" **Is it you?"** he threw the man's eye at the gathered men as they backed up in fear.

 **"Or…"** he took a step forward and pointed to them as he radiated with killing intent.

 **"Is it you?"** he pointed his blade as a small white light shone in his eye menacingly.

The gathered men could only stare in horror as they tried to comprehend what they just witnessed. Victor, their leader and the strongest among them was defeated by a boy, barely standing on his own feet, as he challenged them.

If it wasn't that, but they could've sworn that two wolves stood by his side as they growled at them.

It was then that pants were soiled, and the men fled screaming in fear. Jaune watching as they fled, dragging along their comatose leader as he mumbled incoherently while being dragged away. A small drop of blood rolled off his fingertips as Jaune did his best to hold himself up.

' _Don't fall…d-don't fall yet…Don't…Don't let them see you weak…n-not until they're gone…'_

The last of the bandits was far from his senses as he stumbled on his own two feet. "T-Thank the Gods…" more drops of blood rolled off his body as he shakenly turned around.

"West…I need to head…west…" he slowly forced himself to walk as the village was basked in smoke.

He dragged his feet across the ground as he made his way to the West Gates. The controls badly damaged as the bridge was locked tight.

He shakenly placed his hands on the drawbridge as he pushed with all his might, a brief flash from his semblance pushed his strength and allowed the bridge to fall. A small dust cloud kicking up as slowly and painfully walked across the bridge.

Small red drops trailing behind him as he walked his way west. In the same direction of those, he told to leave him behind. His sword dragging in the dirt as he forced his body to keep moving, despite everything it had been through.

"I-I can't fall, n-not yet…not until I…I…not until I-I get home…" the sun slowly rising as the sky was basked in an orange and magenta hue.

His vision blurred and blackened with every step he took. His body screaming at him to stop and rest. But his mind and heart kept telling him to move on. To keep moving and make it back to the ones he missed. To the ones, he cherished the most. To the ones that always…

He fell to the floor as his body could no longer resist the fatigue and pain that coursed through him.

His breathing becoming ragged with each breath he took as he lay on the dirt-covered road. "N-No…no…I-I can't die…not here…not like this…not when I was so close…" his eyes became heavier as he felt the darkness swallow him all.

"Everyone…I-I…I'm sorry…" his eyes closed as he felt death slowly creep upon him, ready to take him to the other side.

"…I must say, I am impressed."

His eyes snapped open as he forced his head to look behind him as a strange woman, wielding a red blade and wearing a bird-shaped Grimm mask stood over him. "I honestly thought that Victor would've had no trouble dealing with you. But the world is full of surprises I guess?"

' _W-who is she? another a bandit? Did she come to finish the job?'_ he panicked as the woman walked over to him.

Jaune groaned and reached out to grab his rifle.

"You're not looking too good. Those wounds are pretty severe. I'm surprised you haven't passed out by now." He reached for his gun until it was taken from him. He looked up to see a short-haired woman with tattoos on her arm and circular gun/blades on her hips as she grinned at the boy.

"Now normally I would just leave you to die and take whatever is left from your corpse. Let the weak perish and the strong survive." He grunted as she kneeled down to him. "But you...you definitely caught my interest. You managed to take down one of my clan's rivals. For which you have my respect."

' _Rival? So, she's from a different bandit tribe. But it doesn't look like she's here to help me. Not by a long shot, I can't take that risk.'_

He focused what little he had left as he forced his body to move. _'Got to make this count, then run!'_ a Soul Shard appearing in his hand as he aimed for her head, only to miss and cut off a small section of her red ribbon. But she moved faster than he predicted as she grabbed his helmet and slammed his head into the ground, causing him to cry out in pain.

"You have a strong fighting spirit…I like that." there was no hint of anger in her voice, only respect. Something Jaune found…deeply disturbing.

Soul Shard disappeared as the woman smirked under her mask.

"Not to mention those _abilities_ you have. I would like to know more about them. So, I'm not going to let you die, not until we've had a nice long chat…" she pulled the helmet off his head and gestured next to her.

"Knock him out." He looked over to see another man just as the butt of his rifle slammed into his head and all went dark.

Fenrir watched from a distance as three strange people picked up his master, while the strange bird lady slashed the air and opened a swirling red vortex. She stepped into the portal as the rest of her men followed. The small wolf pup took this one moment to rush up behind them quietly, just as the portal closed and he made it through.

The forest growing silent as a small tear of red cloth lay still amongst the quiet forest. All trace of the boy disappearing as the hands of fate were thrown again in confusion on where the dice would fall this time.

* * *

Beacon Academy – Headmasters Office – 12:00 pm

* * *

Ozpin stood by his window as he watched the students moving back and forth throughout the campus. His keen eyes observing how each student interacted with each other as he smiled at the peaceful atmosphere that reigned over the school.

He had just gotten off with a meeting with the Vale, Vacuo, Atlas and Mistral Council – otherwise known as the Council of Remnant – as they had finally agreed that the Vytal Festival should be postponed for another few months.

While doing such a thing would cause some criticism from the populace and hurt them slightly financially, but it was deemed necessary until all traces of these 'Traitors' were rooted out. Especially now that the CCT Network was back up and running with improved security.

There was no chance that Watts would be able to hack in any time soon.

It eased his old heart that they had managed to avert what could have been an international disaster. He couldn't even begin to wonder what would've happened had this 'Invasion' had been a success. All thanks to a mysterious informant whose identity remained a mystery.

Ironwood had managed to discern the origin point of the data being far east into Sanus, up in the mountain region. He had sent a team of Soldiers and Huntsmen to investigate, but the only thing they found was an old fortress that had been buried under a mountain of ice. Ironwood was attempting to recover anything else from the fortress, seeing as there was evidence of White Fang personal amongst the avalanche.

While Ironwood was investigating that, he sent Qrow to hunt down this Cinder woman and bring her in. But it seemed after the warehouse raid, she had all but disappeared from the face of the earth. Which could only mean that she was back within Salem's domain and out of their reach.

He just wondered how his old flame would react to her failure. Not very pleasantly he supposed.

Salem, even though she was his sworn enemy and he hers, deep down there was still the remnants of the love he once shared with the young woman he saved centuries ago. Despite everything that had happened to them, everything she had done, he still loved her. No matter what she had become.

In a way, he blamed himself for how she turned out, how he wished that before his death he could've told her to move on from him, to not grieve his death and find new love…maybe then the world would not have suffered for her pain?

If only his sickness not rendered him weak.

A small ding caught his attention as he turned to his intercom. "Headmaster, Miss Nikos is here to see you." His secretary said as he nodded.

"Thank you, please send her up."

Now he was seeing a similar pain forming within the young student he had hoped to make the New Fall Maiden. He needed to prevent her from doing something similar to what Salem had done centuries ago. He needed to avoid another Salem falling into the abyss.

The elevator opened as Pyrrha stepped into the office. "You summoned me, Headmaster?"

"Yes, I did, please take a seat, Miss Nikos." He gestured to the chair as the young champion nodded. "Miss Nikos how are you fairing?" he asked as the girl nodded with some confusion.

"I'm fine, headmaster, why do you ask?"

"Because it has come to my attention that you have been behaving differently over the past few months. I'm well aware that it is connected to your partners…unfortunate passing." He tried to choose his words carefully as he spotted the subtle clenching of the young girls' fists.

"I'm well aware of how close you were to him, maybe even of how much you truly cared for him." She flinched a little, but the man waved it off. "It's all right Miss Nikos, there's no shame in developing feelings for your partner. It has happened before in the past. What I am concerned about, however, is how you've been behaving since his passing." He sat down in front of her and stared her in the eyes.

"Miss Nikos from what your friends have told us: you've barely been eating, you've barely slept and we've noticed you've spent all your time in the training arena since his funeral. This is not healthy, Miss Nikos. You need some help." She shook her head.

"With all due respect, but I'm fine Headmaster. I'm just training to get better." She stood up. "I will admit it hurt. But I'm perfectly fine, I just need to get stronger, that's all." Ozpin shook his head.

"You are not fine Miss Nikos; you are on a self-destructive path that I have seen happen so many times I could write a book about it." He stood up as she sat back down.

"But Headmaster-!"

"I don't mean to be brash about this Miss Nikos, I am all too aware of the feeling of loss and pain. I'm only trying to help you as both headmaster of this academy and as a concerned teacher." He pulled his chair over as he sat in front of her.

"But If you continue the way you are now, there is no telling what will happen in the near future. If I send you on a mission with your current state of mind, you could potentially jeopardise not only the mission but the lives of your team as well. Would Mister Arc want that?"

Pyrrha flinched at this as she hung her head.

He nodded "That's what I thought. I realise his death was a hard blow on you and taking up his reigns as a leader has been espcially hard on you. But you have to realise that you're not alone in this. We are all here to help you in any capacity and form. It's what we're here to do."

"B-but what if it happens again and I lose someone else? I-I can't go through that again." Ozpin sighed as he nodded.

"That is always going to be a risk, it's part of the job. And whilst I cannot speak for him now, I know he would not want you to put yourself through this pain. He would've wanted you to look after yourself more and move on from his passing. Trust me, I've seen so much to know how true that is. Even if he never knew you about your feelings for him, he still cared about you in his own way." She smiled sadly as she nodded.

Happy memories of staying up late and reading X-ray and Vav flooding her mind as a small tear ran down her face. "He did, didn't he?" he nodded.

"He did, Miss Nikos. I am asking you nicely to go and talk to someone about this. Because if you don't you are going to crash and burn, and you have to hope that you don't bring down everyone you have left with you." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm recommending you speak with Miss Goodwitch for some counselling. Take some time off and get readjusted before I can send you or your team on missions. Is that acceptable?" she nodded as he patted her shoulder.

"Yes, headmaster…thank you." He nodded as he stood up.

Yet just as he was about to ask her to leave something caught his eye as he looked off into the distance. "What in the?" he and Pyrrha both turned to the window as a black shape came in closer.

 _"Beacon academy! This Transport A-297! Coco Adel of Team CFVY! We're haemorrhaging fuel and need immediate assistance! There are civilian's aboard, I repeat, there are civilians aboard!"_

Coco's voice sprung out over the intercom as Ozpin's eyes widened at this. He turned back to his console as he brought up Glynda. "Miss Goodwitch get to the landing dock immediately! Stop that vessel with all that you have! I'll gather the emergency team!"

The woman nodded as the screen cut off. "Miss Nikos despite our discussion, I am in need of your assistance!" He told the young girl who nodded and sprang into action.

Outside students and onlookers looked on in shock as the large transport came rushing towards them. Thick black smoke billowing out the engines as the pilots did everything, they could to prevent themselves from crashing headfirst into the ground. With the amount of damage and dust they had left, it was a miracle they didn't crash already.

Goodwitch stood at the front of the panic as she activated her semblance and surrounded the ship with her aura. The large vessel beginning to slow down as she pushed all of her power into averting its crash. Sweat building on her brow and her feet dragging her back as she forced her semblance onward.

For a moment it looked as if the ship was about to break through when a dark grey matter surrounded the ship and the weight was taken off her shoulder. She looked to see Pyrrha standing beside her, as she used her Semblance to assist the teacher.

She nodded as both of them forced everything they had into their semblance and slowly guided the ship down. Both women collapsed slightly as the ship landed on the ground safely.

Ozpin and a team of emergency staff ran forward as the back of the transport opened and a large group of civilians stumbled out. Coco leaning on Fox as Velvet helped carry her partner, despite her smaller size.

"Miss Adel!" Ozpin said in a panic as he ran over to them, helping her onto the stretcher as the medical team began assisting the others. "What happened?"

"B-Bandits, bandits attacked the village. We had to hold them and the Grimm off until the transport arrived." She groaned as she was placed on the stretcher. Teams RWBY and PNR arrived as they looked over the number of people.

"We managed to hold them off and get most of the civilians out, but we took heavy casualties." Ozpin nodded as he patted her hand.

"We'll get you fixed right Miss Adel; you and your team did a brave thing today. We're proud of you," He went to turn before she grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait! There's something you need to know…" she looked up into his eyes as the next words she said caused everyone to feel a huge weight drop into the pits of their stomachs.

"It's Jaune...Jaune's still alive"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter IX of Legend of the White Wolf. A bit longer then I thought it would be, but I needed to add the Ozpin talk and Jaune holding off the Bandits. When I initially wrote this, I was using Goblin Slayer as a base idea. Especially the scene where Goblin Slayer rips out the champions eye if any of you got that reference.**

 **Also, so it would establish Jaune's badass title of the White Wolf.**

 **So now Jaune is in the clutches of Raven. Someone had asked me about why would Branwen and the Sabretooths have a beef if they are in sperate continents.**

 **Well, my theory is that bandits are nomadic in a way, as they would obviously have to move from place to place to avoid being hunted down. And Raven has the ability to teleport from one continent to another. It wouldn't be far-fetched if she bonded with her scouts and sent them off all over the place to gather intel on potential targets.**

 **So that is the reason she would have rival gangs and why she was near Riverdale that day. So, stay tuned for the next chapter in…**

 **Chapter X: The Wolf and the Raven**


	10. Chapter X: The Wolf and the Raven

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter X – The Wolf and the Raven

* * *

Five months ago, Jaune Arc had fallen into the Black Forest, a place that was said to be inescapable and crawling with Grimm and had a guaranteed certainty of death.

Because of this, and the height he fell from, he had been presumed dead and was honoured with a small funeral and place among the wall of the Fallen in the Academy.

His friends and family had mourned for months before they slowly began to accept that what had happened was beyond their control and that wherever he was he was at peace…

That was until two hours ago when Team CFVY returned and told the headmaster and the corresponding teams that not only did he not die in the forest, but he was alive and stayed behind to hold off the bandits while they escaped.

Their reaction to this was-

CRASH!

…About what you would expect.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Fucking Shit!" Yang threw punch after punch before throwing an expensive – now damaged – piece of equipment across the room, breaking it into pieces before she slammed her fist in the wall.

"I can't believe this! He's alive!? He's been alive this whole Goddamn time!? And the hell have we been doing?! Sitting on our goddamn asses! What the shit!" she kicked away another machine.

Ozpin and Goodwitch said nothing as they stood next to the Medical Beds of team CFVY. Goodwitch would've reprimanded Yang for destroying school property, but at the moment she too was still processing the information she was given. Jaune Arc, a student under her care, was left behind when she could've saved him.

Like Yang, she was angry and disappointed in herself, so she felt she had no right to stop her.

After debriefing Team CFVY, the Beacon staff and students learned what happened in Riverdale: how they met up with Jaune, what had happened to him, his encounter with the White Fang on the mountains. Something that instantly drew their attention, and the last order he gave to the team before being left behind. While the said team was bandaged and bedridden as they sat in uncomfortable silence.

Feelings of guilt weighing heavily on them, as they felt responsible for leaving him behind.

The remnants of the machine slid right up to Pyrrha's feet as she sat on a chair in the far corner of the room. Her eyes blank and her voice mute as she just stared at the window.

At the other end with the rest of team RWBY, a timid Nora and a pacing Ren beside her. Each of them processing what they had just learned in the two hours that team CFVY had returned.

Ruby sat on a small chair as she had her head cradled in her hands.

"W-We left him…we left him behind and he was alive this _whole time._ H-How could we do that to him?" she asked while an anxious Weiss paced the room.

"I-I don't know? I-I don't know. I don't even know how this is possible. W-We all saw him go over the edge, there was no way he could survive that fall, but he did and…o-oh Gods…H-He saved my life and we didn't even bother to check to see if he was alive down there." Guilt piling in her gut as the boy she thought died saving her life was alive this whole time.

"Why didn't we go back for him?"

"We were surrounded by Grimm and had to pull out, there was no way any of us could've known that he'd survive..." Blake tried to reason to them. "Still, to be left in that place for five months, alone. I can't even imagine the kind of hell he went through?" even she still felt the guilt of leaving someone behind.

A loud crash resonated out as all of them nearly jumped as they turned to one of the last few that they would've ever expected to show any emotional display.

Ren's fist was coated in his aura as a large imprint was left in the wall, his hair shadowed his face as none of them could see the look of frustration and anger on his face.

"R-Renny?" a timid Nora spoke as the boy shuddered his shoulders.

"I'm fine Nora I…I just can't believe this happened _again_ …I can't believe I left another person I cared for behind, _again_. I promised I would never do that…It's just like Kuroyuri all over again."

Nora hung her head as she remembered the day. The day he lost his parents while he tried to save her. He looked to Pyrrha as she remained silent. He breathed in a deep breath as he tried to calm his nerves.

"But the person you should be more concerned about is right here. She hasn't said a word since and even I can't tell what she's thinking right now?" they looked over to her as she said nothing but continued to stare out the window.

She slowly looked down at her scroll as she stared at the team photograph, they took months ago, as her fingers tracing the contours of Jaune's face and they trembled slightly.

"Miss Nikos?" Goodwitch asked out of concern as she watched the girl's shoulders shudder.

"…He's alive…Jaune's alive…"

A small tear fell from her cheek as she placed a hand over her mouth. Her whole form beginning to shake as she could no longer hold in the emotions she was feeling.

Happiness, relief, regret and so many others that it was near impossible to tell which one was bubbling up to the surface. But above them all, there was this distinct and irrefutable knowledge that kept the girl from falling into the pits of insanity.

He was alive…Jaune was alive and he was still out there.

She dropped the scroll as she cried to herself with relief. Nora instantly going to her side as she comforted the redhead, who looked so vulnerable as compared to her celebrity and invincible identity. Yet at the same time, they could feel how relieved she was knowing that her partner was alive. But that did beg the question.

What the hell happened in Riverdale?

Ozpin turned to Coco. "Miss Adel, can you please debrief us fully on the situation. What happened in Riverdale?" the leader nodded as she rubbed her arm.

"After Jaune came back, we went on patrol until the Bandits attacked; from what we gather they had been planning the raid for months. They must've had someone on the inside detonate the ammo depot and sabotaged the East gate. With communications down, we couldn't contact Beacon or any Huntsman in the area. At first, the situation looked hopeless, considering that by Nightfall the Grimm was going to attack." Ren narrowed his eyes as he knew from first-hand experience that Grimm often attacked more at night.

"But Jaune came up with a plan to hold them off. We set up traps, laid down defences and even managed to scrape together any Dust materials from the appliances the village had into weapons. We managed to hold off the Grimm till the Transport arrive. But that's when the bandits attacked. They held the ship down with tow cables and were intending to hijack, it seemed that they were after the supplies on the ship this whole time." Ozpin nodded.

"Ironwood did mention a weapons shipment had been stolen from the train a few months back. Now we know what happened to it, need to let him know to increase security. Anyway, please continue Miss Adel."

"In order to get the shuttle free, Jaune decided to cut the cables himself. I'm not sure how he was able to do it, but he was able to cut the cables and set them free. If I were to guess, it may have had something to do with his Semblance." The others blinked at this.

"Semblance? Wait, Jaune discovered his Semblance?" Ruby asked as the older student nodded.

"He called it 'Aura Amplification', he said that he uses his raw aura reserves to boost his own abilities. Not only that, but he was able to heal our injuries and several others by 'sharing' his aura with us. He even managed to unlock most of the villages aura in order to help us defend it. It was pretty amazing." She said as the others were amazed at this. While Ozpin was intrigued at the possible applications of such a semblance.

"Whoa…Jauney unlocked all those auras? …that's awesome!" Nora cheered slightly as the others nodded at that.

Pyrrha herself was smiling with a sense of pride as she heard the feats that Jaune had accomplished.

Coco hung her head as she gripped the sheets. "…But after he got the Ship freed, the bandits attacked again. This time they planned to take the village and the ship by force. They kept bombarding us with rockets and heavy fire. If we didn't leave, we would've been wiped out and Jaune…Jaune basically ordered us to leave him behind, while we barely got out of there alive."

Silence overtook the room again as they were all too quickly reminded of the fact that Jaune was left behind.

"…Why didn't you go back?"

Pyrrha looked up as she begged the question no one wanted to ask, while Team CFVY hung their heads.

"You could've turned around…you could've gone back for him. Why didn't you go back for him …Why didn't help him? Why didn't you go back to him!? Why did you leave him behind!?" Ozpin managed to walk over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder as she attempted to stand up.

"With all due respect Miss Nikos, Team CFVY was in no position to risk extraction for Mister Arc. If they had, it would have been more likely that the bandits would've targeted the transport instead and all the civilians on board. From what I understand Mister Arc probably knew this and ordered the retreat in order to save their lives. Miss Adel nor anyone else can be blamed for this." Pyrrha breathed a calming breath as she thought it over and nodded.

"Sorry," she said as she managed to calm down while team CFVY nodded in acceptance while the room was once again basked in silence.

"…So…When are we leaving?" Nora asked as everyone turned to her.

"I mean we are going back for him, right? If Jauney is still alive out there we need to go after him. He could be hurt or worse, we can't leave him behind again."

"It may not be that simple, Mis Valkyrie," Goodwitch spoke as she adjusted her glasses. "Mister Arc was left behind in a massive firefight with, what I'm understanding, very little aura and even less ammunition against an entire bandit tribe. The chance of him surviving that, as well as his possible injuries, is slim to none. And even if he did manage to hold them off there's no guarantee that he survived afterwards. I hate to be crude but I'm merely stating the fact Mister Arc may not have survived this time." Ruby shook her head.

"We all thought he was dead before and look how that turned out." She said as Yang nodded and stood beside her.

"I agree with sis, we all thought he was dead last time. Who is to say that he's not alive right now? I say we go back out there and find him." The others began to nod and sound their support at this, as none of them wanted to believe that he was dead this time.

Not unless they saw his body.

"But still the chances that he could've survived this is astronomical. I just don't want you all to get your hopes up, only to have them crushed again…Headmaster, please?"

Goodwitch turned to Ozpin as he thought about the fact that Jaune was alive, and how his arrival in Riverdale was too…coincidental to the time they received the data.

"Headmaster!" he shook himself out of his thoughts as he turned to a desperately looking Goodwitch and pleading faces of the two teams.

"I…need to think this over with the other faculty members. For now, please return to your dorm rooms and we'll discuss the matter shortly."

"But Headmaster!" Pyrrha and Goodwitch yelled as the man held up his hand.

"I'm not saying we do nothing, Miss Nikos. I'm more than aware of all your desires to go out and look for him. But before that, I need to check something. I promise we will do something. Please just be patient, I'll be back within an hour." He left the room as a confused Goodwitch followed after him and a conflicted group of teens just stared at one another.

Goodwitch marched up to him as she walked beside the man. "Would you mind explaining what that was all about?!"

"The children do have a point that Mister Arc may have survived. He has certainly surprised us by surviving the Black Forest, who is to say that he didn't survive a bandit raid? But there is also the possibility that he was directly or indirectly responsible for our recent victory." She raised an eyebrow at this.

"…You think he sent the data, don't you?" the man shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure, I need to confer this with Qrow and Ironwood. But if my hunch is correct…then it's possible that Mister Arc may have stumbled more onto Salem's plot and knows more what's going on out there, then we currently do. The Black Forest does put him close to the fortress that the data originated from so it is a start. Besides we failed him once already, we need to find him…for better or worse." The woman looked conflicted but nodded all the same.

"Should we notify his parents? Let them know he could be alive?" the man thought for a moment before nodding his head.

"Yes, I believe we should. I would argue that we hold off informing them in case the news turns worse, but if he is alive and they learn we kept that knowledge from them…" he shivered a little as he started walking to his office a little faster.

"Then you of all people should know the wrath of that boy's mother..." Goodwitch shivered slightly as she was all too familiar with the wrath and fury that was Diana Arc in her younger days, or as she was once known by her old title as…

'The Goddess of War'

* * *

Branwen Camp – Anima

* * *

Blue eyes slowly opened as Jaune stared up to dark red cloth and the smell of firewood. His body ached in pain as he slowly looked around. He noticed that he was in a tent of some sort and that it was currently decorated in all kinds of trinkets, maps and other belongings.

He slowly tried to sit up but gasped in pain as he held his sides. He noticed that his entire chest was covered in bandages with some of the areas still damp with blood, and his arms and face were also covered by the same cloths.

"What the?" he asked himself as he fingered the bandages.

"So, you've finally awakened?"

The instant he heard that voice he sprung to his feet, painfully, as he picked up anything he could grab within his reach and was met with the same woman from before, bird mask and all. She sat calmly next to a small table as she chuckled amusingly at the boy.

"Please no, don't threaten me with a spoon, I'm terrified of them." She spoke sarcastically as the boy looked down to see he had grabbed a spoon in his haste, but still held it up at the woman regardless.

"Who are you, and where the hell am I?!" he demanded.

"So rude. Is that any way to treat the person that saved your life?"

"You knocked me out!"

"After you tried to attack me, or have you forgotten?" she argued back at the boy who looked away slightly bashful but still held up the spoon.

"Besides, I was never actually going to harm you. You attacked me, I defended myself. It was purely self-defence." Jaune looked unamused as he kept a cautious eye on the woman.

"Debatable…But I'm guessing you didn't save me out of the kindness of your heart?" she nodded.

"Truthfully speaking, no, I did not save you out of kindness. More, I was curious about the boy who managed to organise a capable defence against the Grimm and managed to do significant damage to the Sabretooth clan and its leader, Victor." Jaune raised his eyebrow at this.

"Sabretooth? That was the name of the Clan…kind of dumb name when you think about it?" she chuckled a bit as she stood up.

"But that still doesn't answer my questions, who are you and where am I?" the woman nodded slightly as she undid the clasp of her mask and sat the Grimm like object on the table. Jaune's eyes widened as he stared at a familiar face, albeit with raven coloured hair and familiar red eyes.

But everything else just caused him to utter.

"Yang?!" faster than he could register, a red sword was at his throat as the red-eyed woman glared while holding her blade to the boy's neck.

"How do you know my daughter's name?" she demanded as the blade hovered over his jugular.

"Daughter? W-Wait…are you…Yang's mother?" he asked as she raised an eyebrow before she shook her head.

"I see…of course, you're a Beacon student. Should've figured, only someone from Beacon would've been foolish enough to stay behind." She sheathed her blade as the boy breathed a calming breath. "Well seeing as secrets are revealed, yes, I am Yang Xiao Long's mother. You may call me Raven, Raven Branwen." He lowered his 'weapon' as she appeared non-hostile…for the moment.

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"No more than a day. We found you just outside Riverdale and brought you back to our camp. And as I told you before, I merely wanted to have a talk." She looked down slightly. "Oh, and by the way…" she smirked.

"If it's any consolation…you're going to make one lucky girl _very_ happy someday."

"Wha?" Jaune raised an eyebrow as she gazed down at him. He followed her gaze and instantly realised why. He was standing in nothing but his birthday suit as a thick red blush appeared on his cheeks and he dived back into the covers.

"W-Where are my clothes!?"

"They were drenched in mud, rain and blood. If we hadn't removed your clothes you would've contracted hypothermia and died. It was purely for survival…and maybe to disarm you as well. Now get dressed and meet me outside." Steam coming off the top of his head as the woman chuckled before leaving the tent.

"…Well that's just great"

He looked over to the chest as his clothes were folded on top, as he reached out and got dressed.

"Hmm…no armour and my weapons were gone. Guess she doesn't want me trying anything." He flexed his fingers as he drew a bit of his aura, only for it to feel slightly strained. "Not fully recharged yet, feels sluggish as well. I must have taken more damage than I thought. Argh." He held his stomach and the five burn marks under his bandages.

"Yep, definitely more damage, not to mention unlocking all those auras took a bit out of me. I'm guessing I've got…25 per cent left." He looked to the flaps of the tent as he glared. "Need to plan this carefully, see what she wants and then make a break for it…hopefully?"

He exited the tent as he was met with the setting sun. He gazed around at the many other bandits in the area. Large wooden walls circulated around the camp. Small torches lighted the camp, as Jaune noticed that the sun was slowly setting.

The bandits all looked at him as he awkwardly stared back before moving to follow Raven as she led him to the back of the camp. Many of them either looked at him cautiously or curiously as they wondered what their leader was thinking bringing in a stranger like himself into the camp and why exactly he wasn't held in chains or locked in a cage?

He did note however there was a slightly familiar scent in the air, something he couldn't put his finger on. That was until a small insect flew by and landed on a tent before his eyes widened in recognition. The woman opened her arms in a welcoming gesture as she displayed the camp.

"Welcome to our camp. As you've probably guessed already, we're bandits…" he looked around and the shabbily and intimidatingly dressed men and woman. Most of them sporting tattoos and scars across their bodies.

"We take what we want from the weak so that we the strong will survive."

"So, you rob people?" she chuckled

"There's a little more to it than that, but yes, that is what we essentially do. Their supplies would do us better than they ever could the villagers. Besides, if they were strong enough to keep them, we wouldn't have them." Jaune shook his head as he continued through the camp. "Besides, we saved your life after all?" he glared.

"So, what do you think of our little establishment?" he looked around at the tents, the Branwen emblem and assortment of rough-looking men and women that looked like they wanted to skin him alive.

"Can't really judge. But then again, my opinion of Bandits is little… _bias_ at the moment, considering what just happened in Riverdale." Raven nodded.

"Of course, Victor always was more of a brawler than a talker. But enough about the Sabretooth's, thanks to you they are no longer threat…not that they were, to begin with. Come, we shall speak more in my tent." Jaune unwillingly followed as he kept his eyes out for any chance to escape, not missing the glare he received from the short-haired tattooed woman that had-

His eyes widened as his grandfather's blade rested on her back. Without thinking he marched over to her.

"Hey! That's my rifle! Give it back-!" he stopped as the said blade, and several others, were pointed at his head. The woman grinned as she held his blade.

"Finders keepers, kid. And you are in no particular position to make any demands of us." She twisted the blade slightly against his neck, as the blade hovered over his jugular. "But I can be more than welcome to return this blade right through your-!"

"Vernal…" she looked to Raven as she gestured. "Give the boy back his weapon." This caused mass confusion amongst the clan.

"But-But Raven?"

"I am fully capable of handling myself; we didn't save him just kill him in our own camp. He's earned that much of my respect. Besides, the last thing we need is to draw the Grimm to our location. If having his weapon will make him comfortable, I see no reason why he shouldn't keep it. Give him his weapon…" Vernal looked hesitant as she looked between the boy and Raven.

"Now." She ordered as Vernal begrudgingly handed the blade back to the boy, who ripped it out of her hands.

Jaune glared back at Vernal as he made his way towards the main tent, while Vernal and the rest just stared, or in Vernal's case glared, at the boy as he disappeared within the confines of her tent.

Unbeknownst to any of them, just outside the camp, a small wolf cub watched from a distance. The small wolf pup lingering outside the camp ever since he jumped into the same red swirly thing his master was dragged through. And all though he landed with them, he could not follow them when they walked back to the big den with the rest of them.

Fenrir was smart, he knew he couldn't take on these human's, not without his master. Which thanks to his sense of smell could tell he still lived. For now, he would wait for an opportunity to save his master, and together they would both make it out of this place.

* * *

Raven's Tent

* * *

Jaune stared at the cup of tea before him and at the older dark-haired looking version of his friend before him, as she sat calmly on the other end of the table. Her blade laying right beside her, while he rested on the edge of the small table next to him. Both in a position to be drawn at any moment.

Jaune slowly reached for his cup as he drank the warm tea, gagging a little at the bitter taste.

"Not used to tea?" Jaune shook his head.

"It's not bad, Ren's Herbal drinks taste a lot worse than this stuff. Just never thought I would be drinking tea in front of a Bandit." The older woman chuckled as she sipped her drink.

"Well, surprises have been known to happen. And are you going to stop calling me a Bandit?"

"Are you suddenly not going to be a bandit any time soon?" the two stared at each other before the woman chuckled at him.

"Brave, you remind me a lot of my husband…ex-husband. But for the duration of this conversation please refer to me as Miss Branwen or Raven anything else and I will have to kill you…You were taught manners were you not?" Jaune looked at her sword then nodded.

"I was, but my patience at the moment is stretched thin seeing as I just survived a Grimm-slash-Bandit attack. Nearly got my ass handed to me by said bandits, their jackass of a leader and just barely managed to pull a win out of my ass…" he sighs as he glares at her.

"And then to top it all off, some woman in a bird shape mask decides to abduct me and transport me all the way to Anima in a day."

Raven paused as she raised an eyebrow to the boy. "How?"

"The Mistralian Crimson Beatle." He gestured outside. "I noticed it outside. I used to catch a lot of them with my sister when I was young. Always hated bugs myself, but my sister was always the more adventurous type." A brief memory of a girl in boy scouts like clothes and a missing tooth appears in his mind as he internally chuckled at the memory.

"She told me that they're only common to the Anima region due to the climate. Not to mention the familiar smell of plants local to Anima and the sudden change in humidity as opposed to Sanus' colder region was a bit of a tip. When you've managed to survive as long as I did you tend to notice sudden changes in the environment. My question is how did I get from Sanus to Anima?"

The woman stared at the boy before she smirked.

"Impressive, I didn't take you for the observant type. A mistake I will not make again. But yes, we are in Anima. I teleported us here with my semblance, and that's all you need to know. Any more questions?"

"Plenty, but I'm guessing you want me to answer some of your questions first, whether I want to or not, right? An answer for a Question?" she nodded as he sighed and nodded to her. "Fine."

"Splendid. Now, let's cut to the cusp of it." She leaned forward and stared him straight in the eye.

"Your abilities, they aren't Semblance based, are they?" Jaune just glared, he knew that was what she was going to ask but even he still wondered why she bothered to ask him. "I know semblances and those who could use theirs in different manners. I've even known people with… _special_ abilities, and I can tell you that those were not just a Semblance based or side effect. Who taught you how to do that?"

"I did, I taught myself…" he answered straight and honest. There was no point lying, she wouldn't believe him anyway.

"I would find that doubtful, considering your age. But then again, you did survive Riverdale and the Black Forest." His eyes widened as she pulled out the journal he usually kept in his bag, the one he left back at the house in Riverdale.

"My men found this and several other items amongst the wreckage of Riverdale." She held up his rucksack, his cloak and his bow as she placed them on the table. "This little journal of your is quite the read. I heard rumours and stories of the Black Forest. But from what I've gathered, none have ever been able to return. Now I could've assumed you were lying about being in the forest, however..." She pulled out his bow and placed it on the table.

"This wood is more than enough proof." He raised an eyebrow. He looked down at the black carved wood and the many alterations he had made over the past few months.

"The wood this bow is made of is unlike any type of wood I've seen before and it's not native to any region I've ever explored. Which only leaves a few places in the world it could've grown from, one of which is near Riverdale: The Black Forest." She opened the journal to his sketches and lay them before him.

"And these drawings of the temple…well…let's just say I'm privy to similar architecture and cultural significance." She looked at the sketches of the gods and felt the flickers of Spring dwell within her. "I am also curious about this Grimm warding temple you stumbled upon." She pointed to the symbols that he managed to memorise.

"Care to tell me about that?"

He merely shrugged his shoulders. "What's there to tell: It's a temple that somehow wards off Grimm, nothing much to say about that, and even then, I still can't even explain what the hell it was all about," she smirked slightly as she placed the book down.

"I see...Oh well, a young mind truly doesn't understand the mystery of the world. But so far you are far from what I would consider a young mind. It's been tempered by survival and experience, something that I respect." She closed the book and placed it back near her side. "Now I believe you have a question?"

"Why did you save me? Other than learning about my abilities I assume you want something more from me, right?" she nodded.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Two things actually, but we can discuss the last one afterwards. In your journal, I read about your little encounter with the White Fang on the mountains. In it, you stated that you stumbled upon some incriminating evidence about a potential conspiracy that plotted against Vale. Is this true?" Jaune narrowed his eyes as he remembered the video files he discovered.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with you?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Believe it or not…Everything." She slid forward three wanted posters from one of the outlining towns.

"Did you know that your actions prevented a potential invasion?" Jaune's eyebrows shot up as he grabbed the papers and stared at the three pictures in front of him instantly recognising the three people from the video.

"Apparently because of you these three individuals are now wanted for treason and terrorism against the Kingdoms of Vale, and via affiliation: The Kingdoms of Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo. Not only that but it had confirmed that the White Fang Extremist – Adam Taurus – was affiliating with humans, something that has not gone unnoticed with the High Leader of the White Fang or other members of the White Fang who find his actions hypocritical. And from what my sources have gathered, they had enough weapons and ammunition stockpiled to effectively achieve this goal. You, boy, prevented a full out war." Jaune stared at the faces before he sighed in relief when he heard that.

"So, it did get through, thank the Gods…" he looked back to the woman.

"But what does this have to do with you? I doubt bandits care much about what happens to the Kingdoms if anything wouldn't you benefit from it?" she looked at the picture of Cinder fall and felt the Spring energy course through her.

"In any other circumstances, you would be correct. On the surface, a Kingdom falling would be beneficial to bandits. It would mean less security for the outlining regions. it would allow us to conduct more raids, get better loot, and deal with less huntsman due to the ones that would fall protecting the Kingdom and potentially even recruiting disgraced huntsman." She then shook her head.

"But in truth, if the Kingdoms were to fall…it would mean the end of the world." Jaune's brow shot into his hairline as the woman stood up and turned her back to him.

"I-Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? I mean, Kingdoms have fallen before, right? The old kingdom of Mantle fell out after the Great War and everyone's still fine."

"Mantle was never destroyed, it merely remodelled into a new Kingdom. But if any of the other Kingdoms truly fall, then it would mean the end." She stirred the tea in her hand as she looked at the map of Remnant. "Surely you must have realised that there is something sinister lurking in the shadows. A dark force that seeks to bring about the end of everything you've ever known and love?"

"You mean the woman on the posters? She's just one person who wanted to attack Vale, I highly doubt she could do that now that she's on the run." Raven shook her head.

"It's not her that you should be afraid of…it's _whom_ she serves that you should truly fear..." Jaune raised an eyebrow as the woman turned back to him. "What do you know of Ozpin? Truly know about him?" she asked as Jaune looked perplexed.

"Not much. My Dad said he was his Headmaster back when attended Beacon years ago and that apparently, he was the youngest headmaster the world had ever seen – a prodigy he used to say about him. But he hadn't spoken to him in years. Not since my Parents retired."

"Parents?" she eyed the boy carefully. "...are you by any chance Roland and Diana Arc's son?" Jaune nodded as she chuckled.

"Hmm…I thought you looked familiar. But back to the matter at hand. There is more going in this world than you will ever truly know. Behind the curtained veil there is a secret war being waged against the forces of Light and Dark, a Shadow war, with Ozpin at the forefront of it all…or I should be more accurate: the entity that is a part of him and the entity that he faces." Jaune looked more confused and scared as she folded her arms.

"What do you mean?" he asked as she stared him straight in the eye.

"What if I told you that the Grimm are not mindless beasts that just seek to destroy humanity? What if I told you they were being controlled and led by someone, what would you say to that?" she asked as Jaune looked sceptical.

"I'd say you're crazy for one thing and then I'd also say that's impossible; no one can control the Grimm. I should know because I lived in a forest full of them. They didn't listen to anyone."

"Well, unfortunately, there is. Somewhere out there in the Grimm infested wastelands exists such a person, who is just as ancient as the man claiming to be Ozpin and even more powerful than anyone you've ever known. Her name…is Salem…and she is the one that seeks the destruction of Four Kingdoms and the world itself." Jaune shook his head as he stood up.

"T-That doesn't make any sense!? Why would she do this? What does it have to do with Ozpin and the four Kingdoms?" she looked to the map as they both stared at the four Kingdoms.

"The four Kingdoms were designed to protect four powerful relics, that if brought together, could reshape the world itself. She targets them because that is how Ozpin made them that way." She leaned forward as he sat back down.

"But the only way to unlock them is with four special keys, four maidens that were gifted with extraordinary powers ages ago by the very same man you call Headmaster. One of them, you just happened to expose." She tapped her finger on Cinder's picture as Jaune's mind went back to the footage as she held a ball of fire in her hands.

At the time he just assumed that it was a form of Dust manipulation. He'd seen Weiss manipulate Dust before, but not like what he saw in the footage.

"Wait, Ozpin gave her those powers?" he tapped his finger on Cinder's poster. "Why would he do that? And how can you possibly know that?" she looked down at her hand as she flexed her fingers.

"First, he didn't give this woman those powers, she stole them from another. And as for how I know Ozpin has powers…Well, let's just say I used to work with him a long time ago, along with my dumbass of a brother and my former husband. Of course, the powers he gave us are minor in comparison to what he gifted to the four women ages ago." Jaune took a moment to process this as he shook his head.

"So, when you say powers: you mean like magic?" he asked as he shook his head. "Because that's impossible, there's no such thing as magic."

"You crafted a sword and shield from your very Aura, moulded it to your own whim and used it to cut down your enemies. And you say that Magic is impossible. But I can assure you, I've seen it, and it is very much real. The planned invasion of Beacon was just one of her plans. Salem aims to take all the Relics from all the Kingdoms and use them to end the world."

"If this woman is a key to…whatever it is under the school, then why doesn't everyone else know about it? Don't you think they should be kept safe inside the Kingdoms." She shook her head.

"Its dangerous for any of these Maidens to be in one place for too long. Eventually, Salem will track down these women and either take their powers from them by force…or convince them to join her side. If she does, then she'll have everything she needs to take the relics from Ozpin. And nothing will be able to stop her." He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Why are you telling me all this?" he asked. "Why are you telling me all these 'secrets' that I'm not supposed to know? What are you trying to get out of me?" he asked as she rested her cup down.

"I'm telling you this because I want you to join us. I want you to use your skills to strengthen the Branwen Clan and help us protect our own." Jaune scoffed at this.

"Another offer, seriously? If you saw how Riverdale went, then you know what my answer is going to be. No, I'm not joining a bunch of bandits, no matter what you try and sell me." He stood up. "Besides if what you say is even remotely true, then I need to get back to my friends and warn them. Why would I want to join you?"

"Because if you join me you can survive what's to come. This Shadow War that has been waging for thousands of years will not stop anytime soon. I was once part of the strongest huntsman team back at Beacon and even that wasn't enough. You may have stopped one of her plans, but she has thousands that can take its place. Eventually, the Kingdoms _will_ fall, she _will_ get her hands on the Relics and she _will_ destroy us all. The only thing anyone can do is wait out the storm for as long as we can. The strong survive, and the weak are doomed to perish. So, make the right choice and join us." She held her hand to the boy.

"She is… _inevitable_."

Jaune paused as he looked between the woman and the map of Remnant as he weighed her words. When he thought about it, the whole thing sounded cockamamie. But then again, he did spend the last several months or so in an ancient temple that safeguarded him from the Grimm. It could be possible that such a thing as Magic was keeping the beasts at bay. But still, it all sounded farfetched.

Magic? Relics? A person named Salem who could control the Grimm and Ozpin being something else? It all boggled his mind. He knew he needed more answers and there was only one place to get them…

Back home.

"If what you say is true, and there really is someone out there that is planning to destroy Vale…" he looked back as he glared. "Then I need to get back to Beacon right now."

Raven stared vacantly at the boy as he glared determinedly at her. This was not what she was expecting. She would've assumed that after learning the terrible truth that Ozpin had hidden from the world for so long, add to the fact the boy was left alone for months in an inhospitable place, that he would've seen rational reason and joined her and her clan. His abilities, analytical mind and semblance would've made exemplary additions to the Branwen Clan…

Yet just like her brother, this boy seemed loyal to the notion of comradery and foolish belief that they could beat Salem.

"Are you serious? After everything I just told you, you still want to go back? That place is doomed, it's only a matter of time before she sends someone else to complete the task her subordinate failed. Your skills would be much better served with us to ensure our survival."

"To what? To keep robbing people, attacking their homes, slaughtering their children just to keep yourselves fed? Sorry, but I'm not going to degrade myself to something like that. You may not act like the Sabretooth, but you are still just as bad. And you may think you're the strongest…but really you're just a coward hiding in the woods afraid to do what's right." He grabbed his rifle from the table.

"And if you aren't going to even care about the people she'll destroy in her wake, like your own daughter...Then I'm just going to have to do it myself."

He turned to leave when he suddenly felt a blade at the back of his neck. He craned his neck slightly to see the annoyed and angry look of Raven as she glared into the boy's eyes.

" _Let_ _me_ _go_ …" he threatened having long since stopped caring what the woman thought of him, but his glare didn't even phase her as she just glared back.

"In any other circumstance, I would've just killed you for disrespect. But as it stands your skills are too valuable to waste, and I am not one to squander wasted potential. So how about this, a challenge. You against me in a one-on-one fight. You win, I let you walk free. You lose, you have to serve us."

"And why would I do that?"

"With the number of injuries, I can make you sustain without killing you, it would give us an ample amount of time to change your mind. One way or another, I will get you to see the truth." Jaune nodded as both of them walked out of the tent.

The air was instantly filled with tension as both of them walked out of the tent. The bandits instantly recognised the subtle look in their leaders' eyes as they all backed away into a perfect circle. Vernal herself grinned slightly as she stood back from the unofficial 'combat arena' that had formed in the middle of the camp. Jaune took out the clip of his weapon as he grunted in the disappointment of the lack of ammo in the weapon.

"Did you honestly think we would give you ammo? We can't afford to attract the Grimm to our location." Raven spoke as she shifted the mechanism of her weapon. "But for fairness sake, I will only use one blade from mine and my men will not interfere…understood?" she ordered her men who nodded.

"Any other conditions?" he asked as she nodded.

"Considering your…injuries, all you have to do is get one scratch on my mask." She placed on said mask as she locked it into place. "And all I have to do is knock you out. Fair?" he nodded as she pulled out a telescopic red blade and handed the sheath over to Vernal, who happily took the device.

Jaune and Raven stood at equal parts as they slowly circled each other. Jaune flicked the switch as Merveilleuse deployed into its bladed form as he recalled his partner's lessons and held the blade in a proper grip.

A small breeze brushed through the camp as both of the combatants just stared at each other.

Right before the woman sped towards the boy and clashed her blade against his. Jaune grunted as the woman forced him back. His feet digging trenches in the ground before he stumbled back and rolled onto his back. But he was quick to stand as he managed to block her second attacks. Sparks shooting off the blade as Jaune did his best to defend himself.

When the opportunity arrived, he was quick to slash his blade at her.

His blade slashed at her head as she lazily avoided the blade and counted with her own. Her hand striking across his face as he stumbled before he was quick to spin on his heel and strike the woman's chest. Only for the woman to easily back step his blade and knock the boy off his feet. He was quick to his feet as the woman's blade struck the earth where he previously lay, his blade thrusting forward as he aimed for her head, only for her to sidestep and block his blade with her own.

The woman was just as fast at the counter as she was delivering them. Her form was fast, calculated and perfect while Jaune's was sluggish, rough and lacking in the years of experience that they compared to Raven's…

and Jaune knew this.

He knew that right now the woman was testing him. She was deliberately going easy on him, trying to gauge the level of skill he possessed and determined what he do would in his current situation. He was still recovering, had limited aura protecting his body and had a weapon that had no ammo.

' _Which means…she wants to see what my Aura techniques can truly do…'_ Jaune quickly deduced as he blocked her blade, the woman giving him a critical eye as she watched his every movement.

' _I could use soul sabre, but my Aura isn't fully recharged. If I use it, I won't have enough to stop her from knocking me out!'_ he thought the last part loudly as her blade scratched his check and his aura flickered from the blow.

' _But with the way she's coming at me…I may not have much of a choice.'_ He shook his head. _'No, I don't need to rely on my techniques for every battle. I just need to think about it.'_ He looked around the camp as he spotted several pots and pan, a few crates of food and several canisters of spices.

His mind instantly coming up with a plan as he glared at the woman. _'I just hope this works?!'_ he rushed the woman as his blade swung rapidly. The woman blocking every one of his attempts, but still forced her back. But it wasn't that he was actually forcing her back, it was more like she was entertaining the idea that he was forcing her back.

Jaune thrust forward as the woman sidestepped the boy and sent him tumbling right over to the camp kitchen. Jaune smirked slightly as his blade hooked onto the pots and pans and threw them at the woman. Raven's eyes widened slightly as a black metal pot came flying at her. She quickly avoided the pot, right before another pan came flying at her.

She smirked a little as she saw the boy grab more of the cookware and throw the pots and pans at her, as she easily avoided and dodged the pan, even slicing one in half as the metal pot clattered on both sides.

"…Well, there goes chilli night." The cook grumbled.

Raven readied herself when he ran out of pots and charged at the boy. But just before she reached him, Jaune grabbed a handful of red powder and threw it into the air. Raven stumbled back as the red spice was thrown into her face. She coughed and wheezed as the red powder burned her skin. She waved her blade around haphazardly as the spice stung her eyes.

Jaune took this opportunity to rush her, only for her to deflect his blade at the last minute, causing the boy to stumble back in shock. The bandits were about to intervene when she held her hand to stop them and shook off the last of the powder from her mask.

"Good instincts you have there, using your surroundings to your advantage." She praised slightly as Vernal threw her a canister of water that she used to douse her face. Washing away the powder from her eyes and giving her back her sight.

"But I trained myself to counter such attacks. If I were anyone else that would've worked on me…you might make a fine bandit after all."

"Uh…thanks, I guess? And once again, not going to be a bandit…" he held his blade up. "And I am getting out of here."

"We'll see boy, we'll see…" the two circled each other again as they clashed once more.

* * *

While the battle between the Wolf and the Raven continued, another wolf had grown curious of the sudden commotion from the other side of the fence and decided now to intervene. He quickly began to dig himself a hole under the fence. His tiny body squeezing under the wooden fence before plopping out the other side and shaking the dirt from its white coat. He then quietly made his way through the camp as he peeked his head from around a random tent.

He watched as his master faced off against some strange bird looking woman, whose blade was very different from the one his master wielded. It smelt like the cinders and ash from their campfires but looked condensed into a single form.

Fenrir watched carefully as his master battled the woman. His blade clashing against her as the woman appeared less wary than his master, who looked as though he was about to collapse. He could smell the faint scent of blood and metal on his master's body and could see the heavy breaths that left his body.

His master was running on fumes and he knew he had to do something.

Jaune grunted as he felt his insides screaming at him. While his aura had healed him and managed to seal the 5 claw marks in his stomach, it was taking much longer than expected and he had not fully recovered his stamina after fighting off a whole bandit tribe in a Grimm infested village. So truthfully, he was not in the best of moods to be fighting Yang's mother of all people.

' _You know I'm starting to think Yang gets her personality from her dad. Because no way she would ever act like this lady! No offence Yang, but your mum is kind of a bitch.'_

He gripped his blade tighter and squared his shoulders as he got ready to fight again. The woman keeping a keen eye on the boy as she was both curious and cautious of what the boy would do next. She had already seen the boy's strategic prowess and had seen what his techniques could do to ordinary bandits. While injured, he was still a potential threat.

He rushed forward as his blade clashed and chipped away at the red dust blade, as small tiny fragments broke off. Raven was not impressed as she decided to push the boy to up his game. She swung her blade in a swift maneuverer that caught the boy off guard and quickly thrust the blade across his bicep, causing him to cry out in pain and drop his weapon to the ground.

Fenrir's eyes widened at the sight of blood and a deep growl resonated in its throat.

She then went in for the 'kill' as she thrust her blade towards the boy's chest. In an almost instinctual act, Jaune raised his left arm as he gathered his aura and formed Sentinel. A metallic clang echoed out as the bandits stared in slight awe at the round white metallic looking shield that manifested on the boy's arm.

Raven smirked slightly as she gazed upon the aura crafted shield and the look of frustration on the boy's face.

"About time you finally pulled out all the stops. I was beginning to get bored." Jaune growled slightly as he felt suckered into drawing out what she wanted.

 _'Well seeing as I've already pulled out one, might as well go out with the rest!'_ he held his right hand out as white aura began to gather and form around his palm.

But before he could manifest Soul-Sabre a loud bark caught both their attention as Fenrir came rushing out of the tent. His eyes screaming with furious intent as he growled and ran towards the raven-haired woman who would dare to attack his master. The wolf could go no further as its body was pinned to the ground by a two-pronged spear that held the wolf down by its neck.

"Uh, uh, uh, not so fast there Fido." One of them grinned as he held the shaft of the spear.

"Fenrir!?" Jaune called out in fear as the wolf pup scrambled underneath the spear, while Raven's eyes widened.

"Wait is that a-!" she never got to finish as Jaune haphazardly stuck her face with his shield and threw her off balance. He made to rush for the pup, only to be knocked in the face by Vernal as she pointed her guns at the boy.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked smugly as she aimed the gun at the boy's head.

Fenrir's eyes widened as an even deeper growl resonated in its throat and a memory of its parents flashed across its brain.

It was then that something snapped inside the wolf as its entire body began to glow. The red fur markings around its neck glowed with a deep crimson as it began to spread across its body. The light encumbering all of its body before its mass began to grow larger and large and the marks began to spread further across its body.

When the light finally died down, the wolf pup was no longer pinned beneath the two-pronged spear, and in its place stood a very large wolf that easily towered over everyone in the camp.

Red marks lined its body in an intricate pattern that swirled around the joints of its legs, chest and face. Its red fur almost glowing amongst its white. Blue eyes shone with anger and its teeth were sharp and glinted like fine ivory.

The wolfs growl was deep and menacing as he glared into the eyes of the one who pinned him down and bared his teeth at the man.

"…U-um…g-good dog?"

Big mistake, wolves did not like being compared to dogs, even wolves that had never seen a dog before. Fenrir roared as its howl echoed throughout the camp and reverberated within the soul of everyone around it, aside from Jaune.

"Shit! Shoot it!" one of them foolish yelled as they fired at the wolf. But its body shimmered with light as all the rounds completely bounced off its fur.

"Shit! This thing has aura!" they quickly surmised as Fenrir roared and attempted to sink its teeth into those that would dare harm him and his master. Only barely grabbing the muzzles of their guns as its teeth tore right through the metal like it was nothing but rice paper.

"What the fuck!? It just bit through those weapons like they were nothing!"

The wolf howled as it pounced and thrashed its tail through the camp. Kicking up large gusts of wind that blew the tents from their pickets and snuffed out any flames that were lit. Any weapon, bullet or arrow fell harmlessly off its body as it continued to glow with a mixture of red and white aura.

"What the hell is that!?" Vernal asked no one in particular while Jaune merely stared.

"Fen…" Jaune used this opportunity to sweep Vernal off her feet, not in a romantic way, and made a beeline towards the beast. Raven herself managing to get back up as she stared in awe at the large wolf in the middle of her camp.

"Fen! Fen! It's all right!" he tried to calm the giant wolf as it momentarily stopped its rampage and looked down at the boy. The bandits were about to attack when Raven signalled them to stop.

The wolf growled before it lowered to a low whine as Jaune stroked its fur.

"It's okay boy, I'm all right." He reassured the wolf as it stared into his eyes and then nuzzled his face. "Okay! Okay! I'm glad you're safe too, bud! But wow you grew big! Like seriously! Is this like a semblance thing or what?!" he laughed a little as the while Fenrir just happily nuzzled to Jaune.

The sounds of guns cocking brought them back to reality as Jaune and Fenrir stared at the multitude of weapons aimed at them. He glared back as he summoned soul sabre to his hand while Fenrir growled and bared its teeth at the clan. Raven walked towards them as she looked at the boy and the large wolf that stood behind him. She and Jaune stared into each other's eyes before she signalled the men.

"Lower your weapons…now!"

Jaune raised an eyebrow as the other looked confused before lowering their weapons. She looked up at the wolf as she glared at the wolf, while the wolf just glared back. Unintimidated she glared back before looking at the boy.

"…You're free to leave, take your stuff and go. We've already caused enough commotion, the last thing we need is Grimm pouring into our location." She turned to leave when Jaune stopped her.

"Wait" she stopped in her tracks. "Why are you suddenly willing to let me leave? A minute ago, you were dead set on preventing me from leaving, now you want me gone. What's the deal?" he asked as she held up her mask and showed a small chip in the white shell.

"You won, one chip was all you needed to get out of here and I am a woman of my word. Despite what many would say about me. But that's not the only thing…." she gestured to the wolf.

"Do you have any idea what you have there?" she asked as Jaune looked to Fenrir in confusion.

"What you have here is a Dire Wolf, a rare breed of wolves that was thought to be extinct across Remnant. Ancient tribes believed that those who befriended this majestic beast were blessed with good fortune, and those that anger them was doomed with grave misfortune."

Fenrir titled his head slightly at this.

"I'm not one to believe in superstitions, but seeing how closely attached he is to you and how none of our weapons seems to work on it, I would think it easier if you left our presence. Besides, we can't afford to have the Grimm upon us…" She looked around at the decimated camp. "We've already caused enough of a commotion as it is. So, take your stuff and go…grab his things from my cabin." She ordered to Vernal.

"B-But Raven?"

"That's an order…." She turned to glare at the young woman. "Do not make me repeat myself." She stressed as Vernal flinched before nodding and quickly gathered up the boy's supplies.

She begrudgingly handed the boy his rucksack, his cloak and his bow as the boy grabbed them and looked inside the rucksack. He nodded when he saw his armour, his supplies and his journal all tucked in safely within the leather confines. But he narrowed his eyes when he noticed his new scroll was missing.

"Where's my scroll?" he asked as Raven shrugged his shoulders.

"Destroyed in the battle, unfortunately. And even if we still had it, I'm not risking letting you compromise our location by giving it back to you." Jaune was sceptical and was suspecting the woman of lying, but knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of her. After placing his bow on his back, his cloak over his shoulders and his armour in place the woman pointed to the east.

"The closest town is a few weeks walk that way. I'll get you at least halfway there, and by the time you reach the first settlement, we'll have long since packed up and moved out. Consider it a courtesy for surviving as long as you did." She said as she drew her sword and slashed the air. A large red portal appeared as she gestured to the pair.

"Follow me" she stepped into the portal as Jaune and Fenrir looked cautious but followed, nonetheless.

The sooner they were away from this place, the better.

* * *

Halfway across Anima, a group of Raven's subordinates sat beneath a tree and wasted the day waiting for a score to foolishly walk by this frequented route. The leader was a man named Shay. D. Mann, who had dirty blond hair and held a lewd magazine in his hands. He chuckled a little as he flipped the pages open.

"Nice," he said before a red portal opened up and he sighed.

"Heads up boys, Raven's here." He said as they all stood up in attention as Raven stepped out of the portal, but were confused by the blond-haired boy behind her…

And then they nearly shit themselves when a large, an extremely large they might add, wolf trotted out of the portal and growled at the assembled men and woman who reached for their weapons.

"At ease…" Raven said as Jaune and Fenrir still glared at the tense men and women. "Everyone back through the portal, we're packing up and moving out." She ordered as they looked reluctant but walked through all the same. She spared one last glance at the boy as he adjusted the straps on his armour.

"You're making a mistake you know?" he looked at her. "There's no winning this war, she's too strong. All you're going to do is die a meaningless death." Jaune nodded at this.

"Maybe…" he looked at her with determination. "But at least I'm not going to die like a coward hiding in the woods."

Raven glared before she stepped into the portal and left him stranded.

Jaune sighed as he clutched his heart. "Man, she's scary! I am so~ glad Yang got her personality from her dad. I can't even imagine what it would've been like living with her?" he shook his head as he strapped on his chest plate and looked around.

"So, she said that the closest town was east wood, I think I recognise this route from when my family and I would go to Shion for vacations. If I just head East, we might come across Shion or another town along the way. If all else fails, we could just head to Mistral or Argus. Might do is some good to let them know I'm still alive, what do you think Fen?"

He stopped when a bright light shined, and the large wolf began to shrink, and the small pup was left on the ground. Its body lying limp on the ground as fear instantly surged in his chest.

"Fen!" he rushed over to the little pup. "Fen! Fenrir, are you all right!?" fear evident in his voice as he worried for the small animal…

GRUMBLE

Until he heard a small grumbling noise from the wolf's stomach as a small moan echoed from its mouth. The small pup looked up pleadingly with big puppy eyes as its stomach continued to rumble. He chuckled and sighed in relief as he fished around his rucksack.

"Thank the Gods, you're just hungry…" he pulled out some Jerky and gave it to the pup who happily and ravenously devoured the dried meat. "Kind of figures, that move you pulled must have taken all of your energy to pull off…huh, so animals do have a semblance? Good to know." He placed the pup in the sack as the small wolf continued to eat the meaty treats.

"Well, we got a long way to go…" he drew his sword as he sighed. "Let's get going." And thus, he left, his goal still a long way away from the end. But at least now the worst was behind him…right?

* * *

Meanwhile, Beacon Academy – Headmaster Ozpin's Office

* * *

Ozpin stared at the old image of Jaune and the new image of Jaune, provided by Velvet's camera as he looked over the boy's many changes since he last saw the boy. He certainly appeared more experienced than his younger self and looked more than capable of handling a Grimm then he initially expected. But one thing that had not changed was the potential he had seen within the boy's eyes, the same he did with all his students.

And it still burned brightly within him.

"So…" Qrow's voice broke his train of thoughts as he looked at the kid. "You think this kid is the one that sent us the data? No offence Oz, but he doesn't really seem the type for espionage like missions…in fact he kind of reminds me of Tai?" the drunk crow suspected as he narrowed his eyes.

"The Black Forest does put him in the general vicinity of the base. It is possible that Mister Arc stumbled upon it by accident in the hopes of finding communication. How the base was buried under an avalanche is still a mystery." Ozpin deducted as Glynda looked at the map and the estimated route Jaune took.

"But if Mister Arc was near communications equipment, then why didn't he use it to contact us? Surely we could've provided him with some support," she asked before Ironwood – in holographic form – shook his head.

" _My men and I searched that base from top to bottom, and even then, we could only get a slight signal from the CCTs. It is likely Mister Arc had two choices, contact Beacon and risk losing the Data, or send the data and be left utterly alone."_

"Then it's a good thing he chose the latter. Otherwise, your tin-can army could've caused some serious damage." Qrow said as Ironwood glared at him but begrudgingly nodded, fearing what would've happened had the Knights been turned.

"Still, do you really think it's possible he survived the fall of Riverdale? He was barely trained as it was when he arrived, I have my concerns that he may not have been so lucky this time." Glynda said as Ozpin shrugged his shoulders.

"Regardless, I think it would be best to investigate Riverdale and see if Mister Arc had left anything else behind that would give us a _hint_ at what Salem will be planning next if he stumbled upon anything else. If anything, we can at least provide confirmation that he is either alive or dead. I do hope it's the first…" he looked over to Qrow.

"Qrow, I want you and Doctor Oobleck to take Teams RWBY and PNR and head over to Riverdale, see if you can find anything else. I would send you with another teacher, but I have the feeling that your nieces and their friends are not going to just stand by as we search for their friend. Best they go along with you." Qrow nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah, fine. But don't blame me if my… _misfortune_ , gets in the way."

"You're the best tracker we have Qrow, regardless of your semblance. There's no one else I'd trust with this. As for the rest of us, we need to continue to gather intel and plan accordingly" He then looked to the others as they nodded.

In no time at all, they walked back to the infirmary as everyone turned apprehensively to the assembled teachers, raising a few eyebrows from Yang and Ruby before they settled back on the headmaster as he nodded.

"Young students…Its time brought home a lost soul."

* * *

Omake: …He Knows…

* * *

After the teachers discussed the basics of the retrieval team, teams RWBY, PNR and CFVY were discussing what they should be doing when they would leave to retrieve Jaune. Many of the other feeling the guilty for leaving him behind all those months ago. Pyrrha being the most enthusiastic to retrieve him as she had been harbouring a feeling of guilt for so long it was a relief to finally be able to do something.

Now getting the confirmation that they could go after him already lifted their spirits and they could already tell it would help the red-haired maiden that held a crush on him…

Coco suddenly stiffened as the memory played back in her head. "…Oh! That's right!" Coco suddenly spoke as they all turned to her. "Pyrrha, there's something I need to tell you involving Jaune." She spoke as Pyrrha looked confused.

"About Jaune? What is it?" she asked as the other looked curious as well.

"What are you talking about Coco?" Velvet asked as her leader turned to her…and then grinned an all too familiar grin that the rabbit had seen and experienced multiple times. She was confused until Coco's gaze shifted to Pyrrha and that particular memory came back.

"Coco! Don't you dare!"

"Oh, I'm going to do it."

"Don't you dare!"

"I'm a do it!"

"Don't you do it!"

"I'm a do it!"

"Don't you do it!"

"I'm a do it!"

"JUST TELL US ALREADY!" Yang finally had enough as her eyes flashed red and her hair flickered like flames for a moment before reverting back to normal. Everyone turned back to Coco as she looked the red-haired champion right in the eye.

"Pyrrha, now don't freak out about this…but…" she suddenly found the words hard to say as everyone leaned in. "Jaune's…kind of…figured out your crush on him."

Everybody went ramrod stiff as that piece of information rattled around their heads. Jaune, dense headed, terrible flirt, oblivious Jaune had figured out Pyrrha had a crush on him while he was missing? That seemed almost impossible and hard to believe. But then again, they all thought he had died before. Who's to say he didn't put two and two together and equalled obvious.

They all slowly turned to Pyrrha who was uncharacteristically emotionless as she seemed to just be staring off into space.

"P-Pyrrha? You okay there?" Ruby asked as the woman just continued to stare…

Until a small blush began to build on her face, glowing brighter with each second before her entire face was encumbered in red and her mouth slowly began to move. Blake's eyes instantly widened as she grasped her feline ears and shouted.

"Hit the deck!"

"...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

The windows of Beacon Academy shattered from the destructive yell as everyone within the school and the city clutched their ears in pain.

"What the hell is that!?" Glynda yelled as Ozpin looked strangely calm with headphones over his ears.

"I figured something like this would happen. It seems that Mister Arc discovered Miss Nikos affections for him and told team CFVY. What we are hearing now, is Miss Nikos reaction to such news." He spoke calmly as she looked surprised.

"And how did you figure that out?!" she asked he held up his scroll.

"I watched it through my scroll and read the mood. It wasn't that hard to figure out."

"And you didn't warn me because?" she glared even as the scream still echoed out.

"…I forgot?" Clonk! Was all he got in response as she whacked him on the head with her crop.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

Qrow held his head as it felt like it was being pounded on by a mallet. The scream having made its way to Vale and causing every glass in the bar shattered. He immediately screamed in horror at the destroyed liquor.

"Nooooo! Not the alcohol! Gods damn it! Not again! This is just like when Tai accepted Summer's crush on him! What is wrong with this school!?"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

Meanwhile, on a mission outside the city, Team CRDL looked up to the shriek as it passed over their heads. "Sir, what the heck is that?" Cardin asked Port as the portly man stroked his moustache.

"That my young student is the sounds of love in the air…that or a fearsome banshee Grimm that's come for my peanut butter supply again! You'll never take my stash you foul demon of the night!" he yelled as the rest looked confused.

"What?"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

Raven looked around as the screech made it all the way to Anima as she and her bandit tribe were in the process of packing up. She nodded her head. "That almost sounds like Summer all over again. Poor woman, wonder what young idiot got her attention.

Meanwhile said idiot sneezed as he and Fen looked up to the sky.

"That sounds like Pyrrha? Huh, must be my imagination."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

Roland and Diana looked up as the scream resonated all the way to the Gilded Arc as they too were familiar with such a screech. "Oh dear, some young maiden just had her crush confirmed. Kind of reminds me of when we started dating?" she said as the man laughed a little.

"Ah yes, that was a good night."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

Salem held her ears as the scream made it all the way to the Grimmlands and her stain glassed windows shattered into a million pieces. She growled as the rest of her subordinates held their ears. "This is Ozma's doing, I just know it! What has that man done this time!?" she yelled as the others held their ears.

"I'm not so sure it is Ozpin this time, my lady?" Arthur argued. "This is actually similar to the event that happened a few months ago." She shook her head.

"No this is Ozma's doing! He used to do this all the time before we started dating! Leaving groups of women left and right before he met me! OZMA! YOU DIRTY BASTARD! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" She screamed as more of her windows shattered.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

In another section of the universe, the Gods of Light and Dark looked down as the scream continued.

 **"This again? What is going on, on that planet?"** Darkness asked as Light shrugged his shoulders.

 _"I have no idea brother, hopefully, it has nothing to do with us. Father is still pissed for messing up with the Timestream, the last thing we need is something else biting us on the butt"_

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

All across the RWBY-Verse, a similar scream echoed out as a time travelling couple looked confused, a prince version of Jaune looked perplexed. A spirit harbouring rider searched for where the scream came from, a King of Darkness raised a confused eyebrow and a death-defying knight and his crew were all wondering what the heck was going on.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

In the centre of the Multiverse sat a red-haired young man, with grey armour and a red hoodie as he looked up from his novel and blinked before nodding and continuing to read.

"Man, Earth - 13151411 is getting really loud. Hope it doesn't wake up any of the other watchers. The last thing I need is a noise complaint."

* * *

Meanwhile back on Earth - 13151411, Pyrrha held her red glowing face as she alone stood in the centre of a large crater she had made when her Semblance went out of control and blew nearly everyone away with metal objects.

Yang was stuck in the door, Ruby and Wiess were on top of the cabinets, Ren was hanging from the ceiling fan with Nora implanted in the wall and Blake was holding her slightly bleeding ears.

Velvet emerged from the rubble of their hospital beds with the rest of her team as she glared at Coco. "You just had to say it, didn't you?" to which she replied.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself."

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter X, sorry for the long, long, long…LOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGG wait. But I had a lot of stuff happening between Uni, Work and Family I barely had time to write. But now that I'm on my break, I should be able to write more. So, tell me what you thought of Fenrir's 'Mythos Form' based on Mythology and let me know what you think and if it should be improved.**

 **But sadly, still far from home, got a little more planned before he gets back. Stay patient and hope to see more soon in…**

 **Chapter XI: Reunion of the Wolves**


	11. Chapter XI: Behind the Curtained Veil

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N so I know this chapter was going to be a Reunion chapter, but in all my writing I realised that I hadn't checked in on the aftermath of Jaune' revealing data on Salem's side. How she reacted to Cinder's failures, how it has affected her operations and how she responded to this. Well, that is what this chapter is going to focus on. Sorry, everyone, I'll try and write that as well as this one as quickly as possible.**

 **Also, planning on Ozpin interacting with Ghira and Sienna Khan, don't want to leave that little plot thread sticking out. So, sorry for the title change and hope you enjoy this chapter.  
**

* * *

Chapter XI – Behind the Curtained Veil

* * *

Deep within the land of Darkness, in a castle looming over the pools of anti-life, stood a pale-skinned woman with glowing red eyes and blackened veins. Her eyes focused solely on the land before her as she witnessed the birth of a brand-new Grimm. On the surface, she appeared to be keeping a calm expression on her face. Yet those that knew her could tell this was her attempt at keeping her emotions in check as they could feel the tension that hung in the air as it was near to the point of suffocation.

This woman was known as Salem, a powerful woman that was born long ago, in a time where magic ran full in the blood of mankind and miracles were abundant. A truly Golden Age if you would.

But because of an incident, she caused long ago, magic was stripped from humanity and she was afflicted with a terrible curse to walk the earth for all eternity. And due to the many years, she walked the earth, and her dip into the pool of darkness her mind had been warped and her heart fractured.

She was no longer the woman that Ozpin had once known.

Now she was Salem – Queen of Darkness and ruler of the Grimm. It was she that orchestrated the many events that had plagued mankind for centuries and was the one responsible for stealing the power of the Fall Maiden and planned the invasion of Beacon. At the time she was confident that her plan would succeed, so confident in fact, that she sent her best agent to accomplish this task in order to secure the rest of the Maidens power and retrieve the Relic of Choice so that she could finish what she started centuries ago.

It was full proof…

Or it would've if her plans for the invasion hadn't been discovered so quickly and her agent's identity – and those of her subordinates – were now plastered all across Remnant.

Not only that but other assets of her associates had been ousted and exposed, due to the carelessness of the one she had assumed could complete this task.

All of Arthurs influences, schematics, past projects, former associates and affiliations were now being investigated by the Kingdom of Atlas and Vale. And the CCT had recently been updated with improved software patches and security measures, that would take Watts months to decipher for potential weak points.

Not only that but now there was apparently friction happening between the Leader of the White Fang and Adam Taurus under accusations of affiliating with humans.

Adam had, of course, denied such allegations against him, but the video evidence presented and shown on the news was hard to dismiss. Now because of it, the White Fang was divided between Sienna Khan's Old Guard and Adam's Cult Loyalists. Small scale battles had been waged between the two factions, but they were kept heavily under wraps to avoid appearing weak to the humans.

This now made it harder for Salem to influence either side, as Adam would never trust anyone she'd send, and Sienna had become more increasingly sceptical of anyone she didn't fully trust. So, relying on them was no longer available and she would need time to organise a completely different strategy.

Time was not a factor she had to worry about. She literally had all the time in the world. What she did have to worry about was the competency of those that followed her…starting with the one that completely botched the Beacon Invasion.

She turned her gaze to Cinder, as she knelt on the floor with her head held low.

Her left arm, what remained of it, was wrapped up in gauze and held on with a harness. Her hair draped over her face as she allowed it to hide the shame that was ever-present upon her. Around the room Watts, Hazel and Tyrian stared down on her, while Emerald and Mercury were huddled far back in the corner. Their bodies too scared to move due to the aura that flowed forth from the woman.

They flinched when she briefly cast her gaze upon them before they shifted back to Cinder.

"…I am not happy Cinder."

Her voice was low and cut the air like a knife and nearly caused everyone to keel over. "I am not happy at all. I expected so much more promise when I found you all those years ago." She steps forward as she circled the woman

"I gave you power, I gave you purpose, I gave you a simple task to complete. A task so simple even a monkey could've accomplished it: Infiltrate the Academy, locate the othrt half of the Maiden's power and disrupt the Vytal Festival. We had everything laid out for you perfectly…" she circled the woman who only bowed so low her head scraped the floor.

"And yet here you are before me…defeated, humiliated...and broken." Cinder lowered herself with each word while she gripped her stump. "You've cost me resources; you've cost me manpower and you've thinned my patience…" she stood before her as she gestured her to look up.

"So, you better have a very, very, good explanation of why I shouldn't eliminate you right now." Shadowy hands began to seep up from the floor as they encircled the woman. "Now…what happened?" the hands circled her neck as the woman felt the pressure.

Cinder swallowed the fear in her throat as she lowered her head.

"M-My Queen, I-I have no idea how they found out about us? T-They shouldn't have been able to locate us and expose us so quickly. W-we were careful not to expose ourselves! W-We took every precaution-!"

"Apparently you didn't-" her voice was silenced as the shadows tightened.

"-And Ozpin not only discovered your name but the names of all your associates." Salem's voice cut through like a blade as the shadows tightened their grip. "Because of you they discovered our plans for the Dust, they discovered the Weaknesses in the CCT network and even discovered Watts' allies within the Atlas Military." The hands tightened as she gasped for air.

"You've put the entire plan into jeopardy that could take years to recover. So, I want you to think carefully with what little brain you have inside that skull of yours before I decide to crack it open and spill its contents all over my floors." The hands let go as Cinder dropped to the floor gasping for air.

"Now think…at any point in the mission did you, or any of you allies deviate from the plan?"

Cinder wrapped her neck as her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Her mind frantically trying to figure out how it was that she had been exposed so quickly. The entire time she spent getting back to Salem's palace she had been searching for a reasonable excuse to explain her failure. Or more accurately who to cast the blame on to so that her life would be spared.

"…R-Roman, Roman Torchwick. H-He had multiple encounters with a team from Beacon. H-He must have slipped them information to hamper the plan-!" Once again shadow-like hands wrapped themselves around her throat as Salem's eyes glowed blood red.

"Do you take me for a fool?!" her voice echoing within the chamber as the newly replaced windows cracked from the pressure.

"Roman Torchwick was a lowly criminal with barely enough information to double-cross us! His only purpose was to procure Dust and weapons to arm Adam's White Fang supporters! After that, he would be of no use! So do not attempt to cast blame on one that had no knowledge or presence with the plan!"

She released the shadows as Cinder took in every breath.

"Besides, I had already begun my own investigations into your failure. I just wanted to hear admittance of your own failures, so that you would be spared some form of your punishment." Sweat began to trickle down her neck as Cinder felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "But seeing as you will obviously cast blame onto others, I shall tell you myself." She gestured to Watts as the man walked over and handed the woman a scroll.

"Do you know who this is?"

Cinder looked up as her eyes gazed upon a man with dark hair, sideburns and hazel coloured eyes. She instantly knew who the man was as Tukson, the White Fang Defector that Adam wanted to be killed immediately before he could make it to Vacuo. But her minions, Emerald and Mercury, had already taken care of him.

"Y-Yes my Queen. H-His name was Tukson, a former supporter of the White Fang before he defected. M-My team already dealt with him months ago. H-How is he relevant to-!"

"Do you know what his occupation was in the White Fang?"

Salem cut her off as she handed the scroll back to Watts. When she was met with silence Salem explained. "Tukson was supposedly an intelligence officer, sent by Sienna Khan herself to observe and report anything he found suspicious back to her." She sat back down on her throne as she gestured to the two youngest of the group.

"I am well aware that two of your subordinates had dealt with the man personally, without your consent." Cinder saw this as an opportunity.

"Y-Yes my Queen! They're at fault! They acted against my orders and killed him without provocation! They're the ones that - GAH!" a shadowy hand reached out and shut her mouth.

"Before you can even think of casting the blame upon your own subordinates," she flinched as Emerald and Mercury had looks of betrayal upon their faces.

"Let me remind you that I placed you in charge of the mission. That means the responsibility of every outcome of the mission, including failure, is placed upon you and your ability to see it through." Cinder lowered her head while Mercury turned his gaze from her, and Emerald looked heartbroken that Cinder would betray her.

"Now, back to the matter at hand." The hand disappeared and Cinder breathed in again.

"Apparently this Tukson was gathering information for Sienna Khan about Adam's strange activities. Specifically, his involvement with a human. Namely you. Tukson was killed, but his information had been transferred to an off-site facility outside of Vale in the mountain region near the Black Forest. It was there that our informants had learned that a lieutenant of the White Fang, had encountered an unknown operative at the fortress. This man sent the data to Ozpin and used it to root out you and all those that you planned to conspire with. He even managed to deduce that Lionheart had betrayed him by allowing you to represent Mistral Academy."

She snapped her fingers as a Seer Grimm floated down and showed Lionheart's mangled corpse.

"Fortunately, after you informed me of your exposure, I took the necessary precautions to eliminate him. But now we no longer have access to the Mistral Vault, we are still no closer to locating the Spring Maiden and our operations have been hampered for an unforeseeable time…all because of you Cinder." She stood up and slowly walked towards her.

"I told you to keep a low profile during your mission…" the shadows began to seep back under her as Cinder tried to scream but a hand covered her limbs and mouth.

"I told you to make sure everything ran smoothly and effectively." The hands tightened as tears leaked from her eyes.

"I ordered you to succeed and you _failed_ me." The hands went tight.

"I ordered you to be _vigilant_ and you were _blind_ to the important information that could sink our operation..." With each word, she gripped tighter.

"Your arrogance has _denied_ me the Relic I seek. Your _incompetence_ has _thinned_ my patience and cast _doubt_ over your use at my side." Her vision began to darken as Cinder felt her life ebbing away.

"By all rights…you are no longer useful to my cause…" her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she felt her life come to an end…

Until the shadows stopped, and she gasped for precious air.

"But…I am not so cruel. Every plan will always have unforeseen circumstances, this is something you will have to learn the hard way. Besides, it would take too long to train your replacement how to use the Fall Maidens power, and seeing the utterly broken trust I see in her eyes, and the fact you were willing to give her up to save your own skin means that the Fall Maiden's powers will not transfer to her if we kill you. So, for a time you have a reprieve."

"Normally I would punish you by not having your arm replaced. But seeing as doing so would only hamper our effectiveness and your abilities, I will give you a new arm…" she narrowed her gaze as she flexed her powers.

"But you will feel every single painful sensation that will come with your replacement. You will _not_ be given relief; you will _not_ be treated as an _equal_ amongst our ranks and you are no longer my favourite operative. Until you have sought out the cause of your failure, you are forbidden to return until you can bring back some form of proof of redemption for your failures. Either something of important strategic value…or the head of the one that wronged you." She leaned forward as she glared into her eyes.

"You will also no longer have my protection from the Grimm, you will no longer be safe from their hunger, you will be just like everyone else now…Weak and alone…leave my sight and I will deal with you later. " she commanded.

Cinder's core was shaken as she felt both relief at being spared and anger for being treated like a lowly animal. But even she was smart enough not to anger the woman that can and will kill her in a heartbeat. So, she bowed and left. She felt so humiliated and shamed. She couldn't help but see the looks of satisfaction on Tyrian and Watts face, while Hazel didn't seem to care one bit.

Mercury and Emerald, on the other hand, couldn't stand to look at her as they felt betrayed by the woman who was going to sell them out to save her own skin.

Their devotion to her and the cause was shaken and fragile. They would no longer look up to her as they did in the past. She was no longer a member of her inner court. She was an outsider…a betrayer…a disgraced agent of a deluded queen.

She was no one.

Salem watched her leave before she gestured to the floor and a table with chairs arose from shadows. Amazing all with her powers, before she gestured. "Sit." She ordered as the remainders of the inner circle sat down.

"Watts, what is our current stance at the moment?"

"Your Highness, due to the failure of the Beacon Invasion we are currently ill-equipped to attack the school, now that Ozpin has managed to reinforce the CCT systems and we no longer have my connections to the Atlas Military. I will work with what I have at the moment to augment our abilities, but it will take time to establish new contacts and gather the necessary equipment I need." Salem nodded as she turned to Hazel.

"And what of Adam? Can we still use him to get the White Fang on our side?" she asked as Hazel shook his head.

"Not likely my Queen." He pulled out his scroll as the projector feature showed the news articles involving the White Fang with Sienna Khan addressing on the broadcast.

"Sienna Khan has always been against aggravating the humans any further than necessary. She may have acted have against them in the past, but even she knows that a full-scale war with the humans is doomed to fail. Adam going against her wishes, stockpiling weapons for an obvious war against the Kingdom of Vale and allying himself with humans has split the White Fang in two. The Khan Loyalists clearly believe that Adam has betrayed them, is a hypocrite to his beliefs and have barricaded themselves within the White Fang stronghold, which we are currently unable to locate at the moment and are denying any knowledge of the planned invasion."

He showed a picture of Adam's wanted poster.

"While Adam Taurus is denying allegations of working with humans and is attempting to lead his own White Fang Organization. The Followers are calling themselves 'The Cult of Taurus' and have stated that they will complete what they had failed to accomplish in Vale. Further painting a target on his back. We could still potentially approach him, but unless we bring him something of potential value, and show we had no intentions of having his involvement with us discovered. It's best we leave him alone until he becomes desperate." Hazel advised as Salem nodded.

"And what makes you think he will become desperate?" she asked.

"Adam Taurus is the face of the White Fang," Watts analysed as he observed the man.

"He has loyal and devoted followers at his beck and call at the moment. He is brutal to humans, will not give up and will not back down from a fight. By all accounts he is the role model and face of the White Fang and all it stands for…but as a leader, he is brash, impulsive and has little care for both enemy and ally. Eventually, he will take his radical ideas too far and he will alienate himself from those he believes he is fighting for. To put it simply my Queen…he's a wild bull in an arena that sees only Red, never noticing the sword that will end his life until it's too late." Salem nodded as she waved her hand.

"We will wait until he is desperate for our Aid, we may even use him for the _Hybrid_ _Project_ …but in the meantime we must gather our forces, take inventory on what we have left and what we strengthen before we attempt to attack any of the other kingdoms again." She turned to Hazel.

"Hazel, I want you to take young Emerald under your charge. Teach, train her and have her ready to become a replacement for Cinder." Hazel looked to the young girl who looked who reminded him of his sister before nodded.

"As you wish my Queen."

"Tyrian, I want you to take Mercury and explore the underground networks. I want you to find us some potential allies, information and eliminate any huntsman you come across. We need to strengthen our forces while weakening Ozpin's. Two assassins are better than one after all, and Mercury has potential." She told the scorpion-like man who grinned and awed at the woman.

"Yes, my Goddess…it shall be done." He looked over to the boy as he grinned. "Looks like we get to spend some quality time together, kiddo. Haha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" he cackled maniacally as Mercury seethed and held his fist back. But with a simple gesture from Salem he stopped.

"And while you are at it, I also want you to investigate the identity of the one that managed to stumble upon Cinder's plan and apprehended them. Either bring him to me: alive or dead if need be." She ordered as the rest looked confused.

"Pardon my insolence, My Queen. But I thought you had tasked Cinder with finding the identity of the one that foiled her by herself. Why are you including Tyrian into locating this individual?" Watts asked as the woman shook her head.

"I did, she is to complete the task on her own. But I'm not going to risk having another plan foiled, because she failed to identify him. This individual has already foiled one plan, and I will not risk losing another. Besides, she will have to consider this a test of her devotion and her loyalty to our cause. If she succeeds, she will be welcomed back with open arms. If not…" her power spread out as everyone flinched at the pressure.

"I will not give her _another_ chance to fail"

Watts bowed as he understood her logic. "As you command, my Queen."

Salem stood up as she looked towards her inner circle.

"Gentlemen, and ladies…Beacon was a setback, I will not deny this. But Ozpin will now believe that he has the advantage over us. But we will prove him wrong once again. It is only a matter of time before the walls he built _crumble_. The soldiers he assembles turn to dust. And the trust he attempts with every lifetime will shatter again and again until he is all alone…"

A brief memory of a brown-haired man appeared in her memory as she shook her head.

"We will retrieve the Relics; we will storm their keeps and take what is ours and reap the vengeance that is so rightfully ours. And when it is done, I promise you that all our ambitions, and all of my promises, will come true. As I said it is only a matter of time before we succeed. And time…is on our side." She smiled as the gears of fate began to turn again. In which direction, no one knows.

But one could only hope it is on the side of Good…

* * *

Beacon Academy – Locker Room

* * *

Ruby pulled back the bolt of her sniper as she checked the chamber for any obstructions, noticing none, she slid the bolt back before checking other areas of the massive weapon. A small ritual she had mastered since she first crafted her beloved Crescent Rose. She repeated this action multiple times before she was satisfied and locked the ammo into place.

Around her, the rest of her friends were performing similar, yet different rituals, as they prepared to take off to track down Jaune.

A little while ago they had discovered that Jaune was alive and was last seen in the small village of Riverdale fighting off bandits and Grimm. Due to circumstance he was left behind of his own accord and was currently reclassified from KIA to MIA. Hearing this, she and everyone else had instantly volunteered to join the rescue team to locate and find their wayward friend.

For the past five and a half months they had held inside them a certain amount of guilt. Some like Yang, Blake and Weiss held guilt that they wished they treated him or known him better, while those like her, Ren, Nora and Pyrrha felt they could've done more to save their friend.

For now, they believed they had a second chance, and they were not going to waste it.

"Extra ammunition, check. Dust Supplies, check. Map…" Wiess stopped as she had a sudden realization. "I still can't believe Jaune's been alive this whole time. Especially after what happened at the Edge." Weiss commented as the other nodded.

"We were all lead to believe that Jaune had perished, none of us could've known that he managed to survive down there for all that time," Ren assured while Nora nodded.

"Yeah! But Fearless Leader really lived up to his name by living in a spooky place like that! I wonder if he got stronger down there? Oh! Maybe I should spend some time down there too!"

"First things first-" Blake interrupted. "-We need to actually find Jaune. According to Coco, he was last seen in Riverdale and he was up against Grimm and Bandits. It could be possible that he was captured by the Bandits afterwards…or he could've more than likely-"

"No…" they turned to Pyrrha as she held Crocea Mors in her hands before strapping it to her waist. "Jaune's alive, I know it. He's too stubborn to die." She stated firmly as the other nodded.

"Yeah, I've got to go with P-Money on this one. Vomit Boy sure as heck surprised us by getting out of the Black Forest alive. My money is on him still being alive and waiting for us to rescue him." Yang said as she slid on her coat and armed her gauntlets.

"But there is the possibility that he's seriously injured," Weiss argued as walked over to Ruby's backpack. "We'll need to pack extra bandages and morphine in case he's suffered any internal-!" Weiss stopped when she opened the bag and came face to face with a grey and white corgi.

"…Ruby, why do you have Zwei in your backpack?"

"Oh! Well…I thought we could bring him along? Zwei has a really good sense of smell. I figured he could help us find Jaune if we had something that belongs to him?" Ruby said meekly as she held the Corgi up. "Besides, I couldn't leave this little guy alone all by himself." She shoved him into Wiess's face. "How can you say no to that face?"

Zwei wagged his tail and panted happily.

Weiss couldn't admit that she found the corgi absolutely adorable, but it was a dangerous mission no matter what. If they brought him along, he could be seriously hurt. She had to advise Ruby about this, as her second in command.

"Ruby…that's…"

"Genius!"

Everyone spun around as they were met with the ever-enthusiastic Doctor Oobleck, Headmaster Ozpin and Vice Headmasters Good Witch as well as, to the shock of Ruby and Yang, Qrow.

"Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and their heightened sense of sound, making them excellent companions for a hunt such as ours! As well as assisting us in the location and retrieval of our lost wayward student! Miss Rose, you are a Genius!"

Ruby stared before she smiled. "I'm a genius!"

Three slaps resonated out as team RWBY stared at their leader.

"Hey Uncle Qrow, I didn't expect to see you here. What's up?" Yang addressed the man who smirked.

"Well, you kids are going to be heading out on a proper mission for the first time. Especially if it's looking for that friend of yours. So, Ozpin thought it would be a good idea to send one the best trackers he has to help you find this kid. So, for the time being, I'm going to be accompanying you all on this little trip."

The truth was he was sent to help track down Jaune and see if the boy had learned anything new about Salem and her operations. He hadn't revealed to his nieces that he was secretly working for Ozpin as one of his long-term operatives in the Outlands. But if the Arc kid had learned something new, then maybe it could help them beat Salem in the long run.

"Regardless." Ozpin interrupted as he stood before them.

"Doctor Oobleck and Qrow will be the ones in charge of this retrieval team. But, should any of you get separated, I have selected Ruby Rose to act as Team Leader for your team." This caused everyone to blink as they looked to the man.

"Um, Headmaster, wouldn't it make more sense to have Pyrrha as the reserve Leader? No offence to Ruby, but she is Jaune's partner and she has been leading us since he die-! Since he went missing." Nora asked as Ozpin.

"Exactly why Miss Rose was chosen over Miss Nikos. This mission is too personal for her to properly lead without her judgment being clouded. Miss Rose has been proven to lead effectively before in the past, and in the training exercise. And while Miss Nikos is an effective leader, I believe she could potentially jeopardise the mission if Mister Arc was in danger."

"What! No way!" Nora tried to argue "This is Pyrrha we're talking about! She would never!"

"He's right." as everyone turned to Pyrrha when she said that.

"I'll admit I've been acting differently ever since Jaune went missing. I had refused to look after myself, constantly trained when I should've stopped and nearly alienated myself from everyone. To be truthful, if we hadn't found out he was alive, I would still be in the training hall right now….But the moment I heard Jaune was alive, I was overcome with relief and joy, there is no doubt I would lose focus when we find Jaune and compromise the mission…" she shook her head.

"Which is why I agree with Headmaster Ozpin and elect Ruby as Leader in case things go south." She smiled at the young warrior. "If that is okay with you?"

Ruby stared for a briefly stunned moment before nodding determinedly.

Ozpin smiled as he was glad to know his conversation with the older teen had struck a chord with her. "Very good. Now, please head to the docks. We have a shuttle fuel up and ready to go. It will take as far as you need to go. Safe journey on your search."

Everyone nodded as they began to leave.

"Oh, and Miss Belladonna?" Blake turned back around while everyone else had left. "When you get back, I'm going to need your assistance in contacting some within your _previous_ affiliation."

Her eyes widened at his implications.

"Um I-I have no idea what you're talking about Headmaster. And I was already under the impression that my... _past..._ was of no consequence?" she asked wondering why he was bringing this up now.

"It is nothing serious, I assure you. I just merely need to contact someone who can get an audience with the higher-ups of a certain Organization. Surely you must know someone who can, nothing terrible will come about it, I assure you. Please…Trust me, Miss Belladonna, it's for the good of the world."

Blake knew exactly who he was talking about. She glanced at the cameras as he was obviously choosing his words carefully. "…I…I might know someone…" Reluctantly she nodded and wrote down on a piece of paper before handing it back to him. "Tell him…his little… _kitten…_ is fine, he'll know what it means." The man nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Belladonna. Now you should be heading off, Mister Arc isn't going to rescue himself." She nodded before he led her to the docks as she piled onto the transport and quickly took off. The old man sighed as he watched.

"I am too old for this…let's hope this time I'm ahead of her."

* * *

Hours Later – Riverdale

* * *

The shuttle touched down in the centre of the burnt town as the rescue team piled on and landed feet first into dirt and ash. Looking around they stared at the charred cinder and burnt ashes that lingered in the once prospers town of Riverdale.

The scent of death and smoke permeated in the air along with the small scent of iron and blood that paved the streets. Its homes were reduced to piles of rubble, its stalls smashed and crumbled. And the protectors and volunteers of noble fighters, who gave their lives to save others, lay scattered across the streets. Along with the bodies of the bandits that tried to steal from them mixed in amongst the carnage.

This is what the rescue team saw when they gazed at the charred town.

Youthful eyes were wide with horror, while those of Veteran eyes had to steel their gaze after having seen all too familiar scenes for so long. It didn't make it any easier on them, no matter how many times they'd seen similar scenes.

"Holy crap…" Yang spoke out as she and her team walked amongst the carnage. "Vomit boy was in the middle of all this?"

She looked around finding it scarce to believe that the boy she knew as the clumsy flirt could've ever have been a part of such a battle and massacre. But here the evidence lied before them as she and the others looked around at the bullet holes, arrows and swords that littered the streets.

"According to Coco, Jaune helped plan a lot of the defences. He even had people volunteer to have their aura's unlocked to help defend this place…" Pyrrha said as she picked up one of the swords, fearing that she would find Jaune amongst the dead

"But from what we know, only a quarter of the defenders made it out. He stayed behind to hold off the bandits…but looking at this, it looks like the kid did some serious damage to the bandits." Qrow observed as he inspected one of the dead bandits, noticing how their armours and weapons were cut clean in half. "So, the question is…where the hell is he?"

Everyone looked around as they for a moment had feared he perished amongst the battle.

"Listen Up, students" Oobleck spoke as he addressed the teams.

"We'll split up into groups and search. Miss Valkyrie, Mister Ren, Miss Schnee, Miss Belladonna and I will explore the town hall and buildings. Miss Rose, Miss Nikos, Miss Xiao Long and Mister Branwen will explore the outer regions. That is where Miss Adel said they had last seen Mister Arc. Hopefully, our small little tracker will pick up his scent."

Everyone turned to the small Corgi as he titled his head.

"All right, you head the Doc. Spread at and look for survivors. You find anything radio it in immediately. Meet up back here as soon as you can." Everyone nodded as they began to split up.

Ren looked around as he was meet with the familiar scene of death and destruction. It reminded him too much of his old home and the Day it was taken from him. It reminded him of how his family was torn apart and how his life was changed forever. And how he vowed to avenge the ones he loved.

He just prayed he would not find another he considered close being buried amongst the Rubble.

"Renny?" he looked over to Nora as she held his hand. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern as he nodded.

"Yeah…Yeah, I'm okay…just being here…I hope it's not the same as last time." She shook her head.

"It won't. Jaune's a lot stronger than we thought he was. There's no way he would die like this?" he stared before nodding.

"Maybe…let's keep looking."

Ruby looked around as she had to hold her stomach contents in after seeing all the death and carnage that surrounded her. She was young and idealistic about the path of Huntsman. She believed that they would only have to fight Grimm and save people with a smile on their face. But after seeing all this, and the bandits that had tried to harm them, she was starting to realise that the world was not like that of her storybooks.

The world was a lot crueller and unkind.

"You okay there, squirt?" she turned to her uncle as she nodded.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay. I just…I've just never seen anything like this."

"Well, I hate to tell you this kiddo. But this is the real world. It's a lot bloodier than those books Tai used to read to you." She hung her head at this. "…But it doesn't always end like this." He looked back to his niece.

"Sometimes it does end like a fairy tale. But only if you make it happen." She smiled a little as he smiled back.

"Now come on, let's find this kid of yours and get out of here…because if we don't find him...I don't want to face his mother again..." He shivered at the prospect before heading forward, leaving a slightly confused Ruby.

They walked out, past the many pitfalls and traps before they came across more destruction in the woods. Large grapple launchers, toppled trees and bandit corpses covered the floor as Qrow and the others looked around.

"Looks like this is the place that Coco chick said. The kid must have come out here to cut the tow cables." He kneeled down to inspect the cuts, that were similar to the ones he found on the bodies of the bandits.

"That's some pretty thick cable. How the heck was Jaune able to cut them?" Yang asked as she hefted up the cable to inspect the cut. "Think it had something to do with his Semblance?"

"Maybe…But from what I understand about his semblance, I doubt it could've done this kind of damage…" Qrow said before he stood back up. "All right you little furball…get sniffing." The corgi titled his head in confusion before Pyrrha walked over.

"Here, this was Jaune's…" she held the blade of Crocea Mors. "It should still have his scent on it. Please...help us find him." She asked, with a small hint of begging in her voice, as the small dog nodded before sniffing the ancestral blade.

His nose then sniffed into the air and then down on the ground as he began to smell the earth. He barked as Ruby looked ecstatic.

"He got a scent!" she exclaimed before the followed after him. The small dog following the faint trail that led its way back towards the village. They stopped in front of a small pool of dried blood as they feared the worst for the moment before the small dog barked and pointed to a hole in the fence that led back to the village.

"Hey, Oobleck." Qrow radioed in. "Zwei's picked up the kids' scent. It's heading back into the village. Rendezvous with us inside."

" _Affirmative, we are on our way!"_

the doctor responded as both teams quickly met up. The small dog traced the scent as it led them all from the remains of a blown-up building to the piles of bodies that sported crushed skulls, battered faces, broken limbs and sliced open cuts as his scent lingered upon them. Some of them even looked as though they had been killed by their own weapons.

"By the Gods…Don't tell this Mister Arc killed all these men…did he?" Oobleck asked as Qrow didn't know what to say.

The small corgi led the teams towards the centre of a large battle, where more of the boy's blood had spilt on the ground before trailing off towards the west. They followed the trail of blood as their hearts beat faster in their chest. Pyrrha's pace almost passing the small dog as she raced after the blood.

Her mind already imagining a broken and bloodied body lying against a tree.

Small tears already leaking from her eyes as she ran faster to find the person, she loved…

Only to find nothing but a stain of blood and the gentle breeze of the forest.

"W-What?" she looked around for Jaune, searching high and low as she tried to make sense of this. "W-What is this? Where's Jaune?! Where is he!?" she asked as the Corgi sniffed the blood looked around and then whined with great confusion.

"That's odd…Zwei can't find his scent anymore." Ruby kneeled down as she petted the small confused animal. "It's like he's just…disappeared?"

"What are you talking about, Ruby? A body can't just…disappear? It's illogical. He has to be around here somewhere." Weiss argued as she looked around for a body.

"Y-You don't think he was…eaten by a Grimm, do you?" Pyrrha asked as everyone flinched in fear at that.

"Not likely." Oobleck interrupted as he looked at the ground. "If the Mister Arc was eaten by a Grimm," Pyrrha blanched at that. "There would be remains of him everywhere. Plus our canine companion here wouldn't have stopped following his scent, he'd follow it right back to the Grimm's lair. No, whatever happened to Mister Arc means that he might still be alive. But where he's gone, I can't really say."

"But if Jaune isn't here…where did he go?" Ren asked as everyone wondered that themselves.

A small breeze and the snap of a twig caught Qrow's attention as he looked over and could've sworn he saw the image of a white wolf walking by. But before he could react he saw something red on the ground. He walked over as he picked up a small piece of red cloth and stared at it. He looked back to find the wolf, but it was completely gone.

"Huh? That's odd, where have I seen this-!" a familiar shade of red eyes flooded his memory as he cursed. "Ah, crap."

Everyone turned to him. "What's the matter uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked as the man stood up.

"I know where the kid is, more importantly, I know what happened here." Everyone straightened up when he said that. "The reason he isn't here is that he was taken by someone I know all too well."

A collective "WHAT!? TAKEN!?" Echoed out as Qrow massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Who would want to take Jaune!?" Pyrrha asked. "I-If he's taken how far is, he!? Which way did they go!? Tell me!?" Nora had to hold her back when she tried to grab the man's vest.

"How do you know who took Jaune? If you do, do you know where he is?" Ren asked as the man sighed.

"Well, the reason I know who took him is that I used to run with this person a long time ago. Second, I know where he is because this person, I know, has a very annoying Semblance that can teleport herself and others over long distances. So, the reason Zwei can't smell him is that he is no longer on Sanus…He's more than likely in Anima."

"ANIMA!?" they collective yelled,

"B-But who has a Semblance that can teleport themselves across an entire continent!?" Wiess asked while Oobleck was contemplating before he noticed the red cloth in his hand and eyes widened.

"Wait…you don't mean?" Qrow nodded as the Doctor looked to Yang and coughed into his hand. "Oh, dear…this is going to be awkward." Yang blinked in confusion.

"Huh? What's he talking about Uncle Qrow?" the man sighed before he looked back to the young huntress and pulled out a photograph

"Yang, I hope you're ready for a grand reunion…" he stared her straight into her eyes before he pointed to the woman in red. Eyes widened and jaws dropped as Yang looked completely turned as she stared at the faded photograph of a four-man team and recognised three of them. One man was her father, Tai. The other was her Uncle and her stepmother, Qrow and Summer.

The last person, however, looked exactly like Yang with black hair and blood-red eyes as she for a moment got lost in a strange nostalgic feeling.

"…Because we're about to pay your dear old mum a _long_ overdue visit."

* * *

Omake: Somedays

* * *

Raven stared at the photograph of her old Beacon team called STRQ. It had been a few hours since she had moved her entire clan to a new location, and she was using her spare time to remanence about her old life before re-joining her bandit family.

Particularly she stared at the image of her former husband, Tai Yang Xiao Long. He was more the heavy hitter of the team, that took on any type of damage and used it as his strength.

When she had first met the man during the initiation test, she thought he was going to be one of those muscled headed idiots that liked to show off his muscles and brag about his accomplishments. Instead, he was a kind sort of man. Always looked out for his teammates and smiled whenever he could…

But whenever he tried to fix things, she realised he was a complete idiot.

Her first time with him as a teammate, he woke her up with a blow horn that nearly caused her to go deaf. And then later on when the sink broke, he tried to fix them and ended up flooding the dorm room. He then accidentally manhandled her when tried to show off the rest of his team a bird her found in their room, it was the first day she was practising her bird form, and got his clothes blown off because he tried to bloke an incendiary grenade with his fist!

And the jokes…Oh, Gods above the jokes! He told them so often and so badly she wanted to resort to her old bandit ways and cut his flipping tongue out!

But then…as the years went by, she strangely felt at peace with him, even started to become…attracted to him. He was kind to her, showered her with affection and always supported her when they had their team missions. For a while, she even entertained the idea of living a family life with him, and had a daughter with him…

But at the end of the day, she knew that was not the life for her.

She was a bandit. She was sent by their father to learn the ways of the Huntsman so they could use the way of the Huntsman against them. That was the mission both she and her brother signed up for.

So, when she learned of Ozpin's secrets, learned of her role in this war he waged against Salem she took the first opportunity to leave. She abandoned her husband, she abandoned her team, she abandoned her daughter and abandoned the life she could've had…all because she knew, that it wouldn't last when Salem would arrive.

She knew that there was no way to beat her, no way to stop her inevitable arrival.

So she went back to her clan, raided and pillaged villages to get them by and _inherited_ the power of the Spring Maiden to buy herself some time before the end would come.

There were times where she would think about the life she could've lived. The life of a wife, a mother and a protector of the innocent. But she always pushed them away because she knew none of it mattered in the end. She strangely thought about the boy she tried to convince him in joining them. His unique ability to craft aura weapons and strategic mind would've played a vital role in helping her clan's survival.

But just like her old team he foolishly believed in fighting an impossible battle. Even calling her a coward for hiding in the forest with her bandit brethren. He seriously irritated her now, it didn't even help that he reminded her of her husband.

"Pfft…fools, the lot of them…" she muttered as she stared at the photo before placing it down on the table, she had no regrets living her life.

Vernal watched from the folds of the tent as huffed her cheeks and walked away.

 _'What is up with Raven? She's been like this she dropped that boy off. Why is she acting like this…gah!'_ she gasped suddenly. _'C-Could it be…She's fallen for that idiot!?'_ In her mind, a highly romanticised version of Jaune appeared as he seemed to be seductively holding Raven.

" _Raven…let's runaway together~"_

 _"Oh, Darling~"  
_

"AH! No! No! No! No! NO!" Vernal yelled out as she grabbed the imagination and literally tore it in half while stomping on the remains.

' _Ah…She's at it again.'_ The bandits collectively thought as they watched Vernal continue to stomp on the earth before trotting away and into the sanctity of her own tent. She closed the flaps as she breathed in a calming breath.

"Raven…" her mind wandering back to her youth.

"Ever since you found me all those years ago you've treated me like no one else." She remembered all the times the woman tutored her in combat, aided her in the raids and acted as the strong proud leader of the Branwen clan. "You're so strong…so patient…and so wise…"

She quickly looked around before she reached into her personal chest and pulled out her 'sacred object.'

"There's no possible way anyone wouldn't admire you!" to reveal a full-sized pillow of Raven, her head was obviously photoshopped onto the model, as she cuddled next to the pillow. "Oh, Raven! You'd never leave us for some blond-haired scoundrel?"

' _Of course not, Vernal, you are like a Daughter to me. I could never leave you.'_

"Ah~ Raven, thank you." She smiled blissfully as she held her comforting pillow.

Now to clarify it was not something for perverted purposes, no. It was just something that made her feel warm and special, not realising the innuendo there, whenever Raven got too preoccupied to pay attention to her. Of course, she would never, and she mean never, let anyone else discover her body pillow – Especially Raven – as she would no doubt face constant heckling for having such a thing.

Plus, Raven would probably never speak to her again if she found out.

She needed her! She was her decoy after all! Her second in charge! She was a like a mother to the young maiden decoy! There was no way that she would ever risk compromising such a delicate and meaningful relationship-!

"Vern…Verna…Hey Vernal-" her eyes snapped open as Shay began to walk into her tent. "-Did you hear me? Raven wants you to help patrol the peri-GAH!" he never got to finish as she jabbed her fingers into his eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" she screeched while Shay held his eyes.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!? WHY THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU JAB ME IN THE EYES, YOU BITCH!"

"Y-YOU BARGED INTO MY TENT! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO ANNOUNCE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU ENTERED!"

"I DID _'ANNOUNCE MYSELF'_ MULTIPLE TIMES! BUT YOU DIDN'T HEAR ME! PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO BUSY HUGGING THAT STUPID PILLOW AGAIN-!"

"GAH! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I WILL KILL YOU!"

Suddenly the pair of them were rolling on the ground in a petty squabble, while the rest of the camp either cheered or placed wages on the pair, this being a regular event for the camp.

Raven on the other hand just looked out to the noise from the camp with dead and annoyed eyes before grabbing the bottle of whiskey she kept under her table and took a big swing of it.

"…Some days I feel like I've made a huge mistake coming back."

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter XI of Legend of the White Wolf. I'm sorry once again for misleading you with the title change, but I felt like I had to include this chapter to help set up the future plot. But I promise you that the next chapter will be all kinds of Reunions. Ones of old, ones of new and ones that many won't expect. But the next chapter will be interesting. Yang might finally come face-to-face with her estranged mother. Pyrrha is still desperate to find Jaune, and Jaune is still walking his way back home having no idea that his friends are right on his trail.  
**

 **How will this all play out? Find out next time in the proper. (Once again sorry for the title change)**

 **Chapter XII: Reunion of the Wolves**


	12. Chapter XII: Reunion of the Wolves

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

… **Hey everyone. So, first off, I'm not dead. Despite what you all think. Also, whoever sent me flowers… how did you find my address? Anyhow jokes aside. I've just been very busy for the last few weeks and you're all probably wondering what I've been doing for the past few weeks? Well, see the thing is…my computer, kind of…blew up. Not literally but it did stop working and had to save up to buy a new damn computer. Now I know some of you would ask, 'oh Mass why didn't you just write with your phone or iPad or something?'**

 **Well because 1: I don't have an iPad and I will not go back to writing on that. 2: I refuse to write on my phone, and I am not going stag so DON'T EVEN ASK! ...ahem. But I just prefer writing with a proper keyboard. Plus, I had to work overtime to get this new bad boy for Uni. So, this will be my first chapter on my new computer. I am working on Deku so please stop leaving reviews about it on this story and do it on the other. Also, saving up for Borderlands 3 baby. Whoa! So excited.**

 **Anywho, please enjoy this chapter of Legend of the White Wolf.**

* * *

Chapter XII – Reunion of the Wolves

* * *

The gentle hum of the shuttle's engines couldn't drown out the thick tension that lingered in the air, as a pair of red eyes stared into angry lilac eyes that slowly bled to vicious red. Nobody moved, nobody said a word as they were afraid of setting off the proverbial dust keg and possibly being dragged into a personal family drama.

Not even Ruby was brave enough to say anything right now to elevate the situation…

"…Well, this is awkward." Well, almost everyone as Ren quickly slapped his hand over Nora's mouth.

But that little intrude was enough to start the ball rolling as Qrow sighed.

"…Okay, look…I know you might be a _little_ angry right now-!" a fist struck right beside his head as the metal hull dented slightly. He traced the arm back to his niece who glared at him with sharp red eyes.

" _Angry_ doesn't even _begin_ to describe how I am feeling right now, Uncle Qrow!" she stressed through gritted teeth, while the man didn't even flinch as she withdrew her fist. "You've known! You've known where my _mother_ has been this entire time?! And you just kept that from me!… Did dad know?" he nodded as she gritted her teeth and slammed her fist into the hull again as the ship rocked slightly.

"Hey! Quit it back there!" the pilot yelled, only to zip his mouth shut when she glared at him. She focused back on Qrow as she glared at her uncle.

"Why the hell would you keep this from me!? Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for her!? How many years I wasted trying to find her!? I nearly got Ruby killed trying to find her for God's sake! And you've just _known_ where she's been! You've both known where she's been all this entire time! She's my mother! What gave you the right to hide that from me!?"

Qrow sighed as he leaned back into his seat an crossed his arms.

"Yang, it's not as simple as you think. The thing about your mother…my sister…she's a…she's a very, _very_ , complicated woman. You have to understand there are certain things about her we wanted to keep from you. Things that if you found would change the way you'd see her."

"I'd have to _know_ her for that to happen." She challenged as the man sighed while nodding.

"Fair enough…but the thing is, Tai and I didn't want you to waste your life waiting for her to come back when we both knew that she was never going to come back. The life that Tai wanted for her, the life we have...is something my sister believes she can never have. Nor does she believe it's the life she was meant for. See your mother…well, she's a bandit. She's one the people your _trained_ to hunt down."

Everyone, aside from Oobleck's, stared wide-eyed at the confession. "Mum's…a bandit?" he nodded.

"Yeah. See a long time ago, Raven and I, used to run with a bandit clan. We would rob, hurt, even kill to help the clan survive. It was a way of life back then. Until our 'dear old dad' thought it would be a good idea to send us off to one of the Academies to learn how to be a Huntsman so that we could use what we learned against them." Eyes widened and jaws slacked as the man sighed and pulled out his flask and took a swig of it.

"But after working alongside your dad and Summer, I realised there was more I could do than just being a bandit, and for a time, I thought that's what she thought to. Even getting married to your old man was a surprise…But Raven…Raven's only ever cared about two things in this world: herself and the clan, everyone else can go to hell for all she cared." Yang sat down as she tried to process everything.

"But then why did she even bother having me? …Was I just some kind of mistake?" she asked as he instantly shook his head.

"No, you are not a mistake. Don't ever think that again. I don't know why she decided to marry your father, or why she decided to up and leave…" he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But I know that deep down somewhere in that heart of hers she truly does love you, even if she doesn't realise it yet."

Yang said nothing as she turned away slightly, unable to meet his gaze. Her trust in both her uncle and to an extent her father was in question at the moment. Qrow sighed as he sat back down.

"Putting family matters aside," Oobleck decided to speak. "Why is it do you think that Raven took Mister Arc? What possible motive could've influenced her to take him?" Qrow merely shrugged.

"Who knows? Raven only takes what she believes will help her and the clan survive. Whether that be resources, manpower or information she will take it. She may have already been scouting out Riverdale for herself before the other bandit tribes attacked. She probably figured the boy could be of use to her, seeing as how he managed to hold back both Grimm and man against overwhelming odds. But who knows?" He shrugged for a moment.

The rest of the teams sharing glances as they began to discuss their next move. All while Qrow sat in silence while pondered his sisters' actions.

' _Still, why would she take the kid? If she knew he was a huntsman, age or not, she would've just killed him on the spot. Especially if he did hold off an entire bandit tribe. So why take him back with her? …Maybe she found out that he's the reason the invasion was exposed? She did warn me that Beacon was doomed to fall…yet that kid changed the tide of war…'_

He looked back to the kids as they began to talk amongst themselves.

' _If he was taken by Raven…then it's more than likely she'll have told him everything about Oz and Salem in an attempt to sway him to her side…but why? What makes him different from anyone else she's met and slain?'_ he looked out to the window and the sun that slowly set on the horizon.

' _Whatever her reasons, I just hope she hasn't done anything_ _too_ _drastic to the boy…'_

* * *

Anima Woods

* * *

The body of a Grimm fell to the ground as a blade of steel flashed in the dying sun. Several other growls and roars echoed out in the forest as they charged and pounced at a lone figure. A shield of light manifested on the man's arm as he blocked and cracked the shield against the beasts of darkness.

"Bastard! Just leave me alone already!" Jaune growled as he swung Merveilleuse in a perfect arch and striking his opponent square in the chest while raising his shield to guard his flank. A barking sound from his back, as he spun around and impeded another Grimm that tried to catch him from behind. He then stabbed the Wolf Grimm in the back before kicking it off his blade.

"Thanks, Fen! Now let's end this!" Jaune roared as he ducked and dodge, an oncoming attack.

He slammed his shield against the face of another before he willed the shield to wrap around his arm and form claws of White. Which he used to grab a Grimm by the throat and tear it out. He then weaved, sliced, bashed, crushed and clawed his foes of darkness until the last of the bodies fell to the floor.

His breaths came out in heavy pants as he eyed the forest carefully as if expecting more the beasts to hound him. But no more revealed themselves as he breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Finally, I thought they were never going to stop. That's the third Grimm attack today! No wonder no one travels on foot anymore." Jaune sighed as he sat down on a stump.

"Thanks for watching my back," he praised the small wolf as he pulled him from the sack and allowed the tiny animal to stretch his limbs. "Here, you earned it." He threw a small piece of meat as the wolf barked happily, grabbed it in mid-air and chewed on the dried treat.

It had been almost two days since he had been released from Raven's Camp and he travelled East in search of civilization.

It hadn't been easy seeing as he was dropped off in the woods with only his damaged armour, his still-healing wounds, his grandfather's sword/rifle, his bow, few arrows, no bullets and only the food he had since he left the forest a week ago. Not only that but the bandits had taken his scroll so he couldn't call for a pickup and his map was only usefully in the Sanus region.

It was only useful as fuel for the fire now.

The only reason he had managed to survive for so long was that he had to move cautiously through the forest, sleeping in the most defendable parts, his back to the wall with one eye nearly constantly open during his sleep and his ears tuned for any slight disruptions to the peace.

Honestly, if he didn't have Fenrir, he would've had lost his head a few miles back.

"I swear if I ever see Yang again, I'm going to appreciate how much of a good person she is, compared to her mother. Seriously, I'll even sit through all her jokes and every pun she knows just to show how grateful I am!" he paused as he thought about the many puns said girl knew…

"…Okay well maybe not _all_ her puns, I'm not _that_ crazy!" he laughed before sighing as he looked up to the setting sun and then the small animal at his side.

"We can't be too far from the nearest settlement, right boy? Raven said that she teleported us halfway, and the closest one was a few weeks walk away. So, I'd say we've got maybe…a day or two of more walking to go. What do you reckon?" He reasoned with the wolf that only looked at him with confusion.

He chuckled slightly. "Sorry, I just like talking to myself out loud, it helps me think…" he patted the wolf's head as he noted the wolf had grown slightly bigger than before. "It's a shame you can't turn into your 'Dread Form' then I could just hop on your back and ride you to the closet town."

The wolf stared at him as if asking if he was serious?

"You're right, that'd be weird… still, I wonder what triggers your Semblance? If you could talk it be a whole lot easier to understand. But I guess animals weren't meant to talk after all…either way, it looks like we've got more discovering to do, huh bud?" the small pup nodded as it finished off the dried meat.

Jaune stood up as he rolled his shoulders. "Okay, it's getting late. We need to find some shelter and start again in the morning. Do you smell anything nearby, boy?" he asked as the small pup put his nose to the ground and started searching.

A few minutes later the pup barked as he pointed in the right direction. "Found something?" the pup nodded as he bolted off while Jaune followed behind him, sword at the ready in case any more Grimm decided to take another bite out of him.

Eventually, they came across a small temple of sorts that looked as though it had been abandoned for a long time. Temples and statues were not uncommon to the world of Remnant, as many of them were scattered across the world's surface. Jaune himself had seen some near his hometown, during the Beacon initiation test and his time in the Black Forest. No one knew who owned them or what happened to the people that once lived in them before.

But all Jaune cared about right now as it was enough to keep him safe for the night.

Jaune peeked around the corners and checked every room of the temple, before sighing in relief and sheathing his weapon.

"Guess this will have to do." He picked up some wood, lit it with his flint and rolled out his fur sack and placed it by the fire. He then got to work on setting up some alarms to let him know that Grimm was approaching while he slept. Some emptied food cans and string he picked up a week back when he tried to find help in Badge town.

After setting up the alarms and a few rudimentary traps, enough to hold them off long enough for him to escape, he lay by the fire and started to eat.

The small wolf pup curled at his side as he patted the wolf and then fished around in his sack as he pulled out the helmet he wore during the raid. His thumb brushed against the bent metal as he looked over the damage. The metal was banged up, large gashes lined the side of the helmet, the faceplate grates were either snapped or dented out of place and the leather strap was damaged beyond repair.

"No way I'm going to be wearing this anytime soon. Need to take it to a blacksmith if I want to repair it…it came in handy." He muttered as he stroked the helmet then at his face, where the blows that should've killed him, had protected his skull. But he did note the beginning of a beard growing on his face.

"Sweet, facial hair." He joked before putting the helmet away and started to write in his journal.

* * *

 _Journal of Jaune Arc, day 163, Year of the Wolf, X327_

 _It's been a while since I wrote in this thing. So long I've finally started growing facial hair. Small joke aside, if you must know, a lot of shit has happened to me since then. I made it out of the forest, which was good, but then nearly got shot and buried under an avalanched, which is bad. Then got involved with a raid in Riverdale, met team CFVY, held off some Grimm, got captured by a band of thieves._

 _The leader of which is one of Yang's mother, which was a shock, who also teleported me to fucking_ _Anima_ _of all places._ _That is like the…the_ _furthest_ _away from Beacon you can get…_

 _Well, maybe more but I digress._

 _And to top it all off, she took my scroll and tried to convince me to join her gang, even threatened to beat me to a pulp if I didn't. If it hadn't been for Fenrir, I'd probably still be there…Still, who knew that Fenrir's species were rare? The more you know, I guess…_

 _You know after everything that's happened, I'm starting to think there is some divine entity up there that is purposely making my life a living hell right now for his god damn amusement…I just want to go home, is that too much to ask? But either way, at least I don't have to worry about running into any more bandits anytime soon and I also hope that team CFVY made it back in one piece._

 _There was a lot of death that day, I hope that it was worth it. I'm getting closer to one of the settlements that Raven talked about. It might be Shion, this route looks familiar, but it's been a while since I've been here..._

… _I'm getting tired…I'm getting tired of trying to make my way back home only for something to get in my way. It's like the universe is trying to tell me something but I don't know what? But I'm not giving up, I can't, not after everything I've been through. Especially after what Raven told me…_

 _Was what she have told me real? Could there be someone out there controlling the Grimm? That there are targeting us for a reason? It seems farfetched, but then again, I spent time in a temple that kept out the Grimm, so I guess anything's possible. And what did she mean about Ozpin? What entity is she talking about? What does she know about him?_

 _Who knows, all I know is I've got a lot of answers I need to give and just as many questions to ask Ozpin when I get back._

* * *

He closed the book as he rested against the fur rug and closed his eyes. The small white Wolf curled up against him as his fatigue finally set in, but always vigilante, as he had no idea how much longer his journey would take to get home. But he hoped not too long…

* * *

15 Hours Later – Tavern at the Western Region of Anima

* * *

Qrow swirled the drink in his hand as he waited at the bar. His eyes scanning the room to the many… _unsavoury_ individuals that occupied it and the out of place kids that inhabited the bar. This spot was a usual place for bandits, ex-cons and huntsman to frequently visit. Either to drink, gamble or meet up for information.

They had just made it across the ocean from Sanus to Anima when they had to stop and refuel at a small fuelling depot at the edge of the Anima continent. Luckily, he had a few contacts in this town that could get a message out to his sister to meet him here.

Because he knew that he couldn't take the kids straight to the Branwen Camp, that would be suicidal. But also, when he first landed and reached out to his contacts, he discovered that Raven had moved the camp recently. Something happened in the main camp that forced her to relocate. He wondered if it had to do with the kid, but that didn't matter.

What mattered now was finding a way to meet her. So, he sent a message telling her to meet him in this bar to exchange information. Whether or not he had relevant information didn't matter. All he needed was a few minutes with her to determine if she had the kid or not.

"What is taking her so long? You said she'd be here by now." Yang's voice cut into his earpiece as said girl was at the far end of the bar, standing next to the jukebox while looking as inconspicuous as she could.

"Raven shows up when she wants to show up. Sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesn't, depends on whether or not it's worth her time. But if she does show up, I need you to keep a cool head, can you do that firecracker?" he asked as the teen huffed.

"I'll try, can't make any promises…but I am meeting her, whether you tell me to or not." She stressed as he sighed, knowing there was no convincing her.

Besides, he figured it was time the deadbeat talked with her child.

He looked around and waited as he wondered if she would bother to show up or not. Suddenly, a drink was placed in front of him as he looked up to the barman who gestured to the stairs.

"Gift from the lady upstairs, from the bottom rack." He instantly knew it was her, as this was usually her way of contacting him. She was here.

"She's here…Ruby, keep an eye out and let me know if anything that happens outside." He instructed into his earpiece as the young huntress nodded from outside as she trained her sniper on the building's upper windows.

"Cereal girl, I need you and the others to hang back. Don't interfere unless I tell you to. Yang, come on." He and the young girl followed the man up the stairs as the others waited patiently.

As they climbed the stairs, yang felt her heart increase with speed as she got closer to the top. At last, after so many years of searching for her birth mother, she was finally about to meet her. She was finally going to meet the woman that had given her life and then promptly abandoned it. What would she say to her? What would she do when she finally met her face-to-face? She had spent so long looking for her, practised what she wanted to say and what she wanted to hear.

But as she got closer to the end, she found herself speechless.

They reached the top as Raven sat at the opposite end of the table, her face sported a cocky demeanour before it slowly morphed into one of brief shock and then annoyance as she turned to glare at her brother.

"Seriously, Qrow? You call me out here just to get me face-to-face with my daughter? That is low, even for you dear brother…" she stood up. "If this whole reason was to have a family reunion, then I see no reason to linger here any longer…" she went to draw her sword.

"Wait!" he called out. "Your overdue family session isn't the reason I called you here. It's actually about someone else, someone you currently have in your camp: a kid by the name of Jaune Arc…" she stopped when she heard the name. "We know you were at Riverdale and we know you're the one who took him, and we want to know what you've down with him?"

She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the man and her estranged daughter.

"…And why pray to tell should I tell you anything? You promised me information; you instead show up expecting answers for nothing." She turned back around. "Now tell me why I should even bother listening to your request?"

Qrow was about to speak before Yang stepped forward. "Because he's my friend." She looked at her daughter, crimson eyes meeting bloody red.

"You know, I've waited my whole life, since I was seven, for this moment. To finally get my answers from the woman who abandoned us. Abandoned _me_. So many things I want to ask you, tell you, scream at you, wanting answers for why you just up and left us for so many years…" She clenched her fists as she breathed in a deep breath and her eyes returned to normal.

"But right now, my family and friends are more important than my desires."

"Am I not one of the former?" jested Raven with a cocky smirk.

Yang glared while crossing her arms. "Right now, you aren't, and right now I don't care. You have one of my friends and you're going to tell us where he is," Yang shifted into her signature stance, her hair glowing softly and her gauntlets deployed.

"Even if I have to beat it out of you..."

Raven looked into her daughter's fierce eyes, not quite like her own but very close. A tense atmosphere shrouded the room before she let out a small chuckle and then a hearty laugh.

"You're stronger than I expected. I half expected you to act like your father and break down into tears, weeping at our _joyous_ reunion." Yang glared at the comment but held her cool. "But of course, you're stronger than that. You are my daughter after all." She smirked when she saw Yang narrow her eyes and bit back the words she wanted to say.

Later she told herself after they found Jaune.

"All right. I'll tell you what you want to know. But in exchange, I want information I was promised to make up for you dragging me out here. Nothing too sensitive. Just enough about the current standing of Beacon. The strength of your huntsman and…" she paused and looked at Qrow. "If _Autumn_ and _it_ are better protected." Yang looked confused before her uncle sighed.

"Fine…even after all these years you're still a pain in the ass, sis." The woman smirked as they sat down. "Well first off Beacon is still fine. We've our fortified defences and updated the CCT with patches and other technical mumbo jumbos I don't quite understand. We still have our huntsman, they're strong and more vigilante now."

"Well yes, I suppose finding out of an impending invasion would be a kick in the pants you lot would need." She quipped as the man sighed in annoyance.

"We've also managed to identify several leaks in our network. One of which was an old friend of Oz's in Mistral, he… _passed away_ recently." Raven had an idea who he was referring to. She figured that cowardly lion couldn't run away anymore. "And as for _Autumn_ and _it_ …they are still safely locked up. Oz has made sure of it." She chuckled.

"And you still trust him?" he nodded.

"Yes, so did you once."

"That was a long time ago. Like when you used to trust me."

" _That_ was a long time ago, too." He replied as she smirked.

"Enough!" Yang snapped as she slammed her hand on the table. "Enough with this cryptic bullshit! We've told you what you wanted, now tell us what we want! Do you have Jaune or not?!" she demanded of her mother as the woman looked to her daughter and then nodded.

"Yes, I had Jaune Arc…sadly he is no longer with us anymore."

A dead silence resonated in the upper stairs as Yang's eyes widened and Qrow's narrowed. "What did you do?" he asked, nay seethed, at the woman who only smirked. Before she could respond however a sudden magnetic pull grabbed her arms and flung her to the wall.

Eyes immediately shot towards the stairs as Pyrrha glared with burning green and tear-soaked eyes. Her hand glowing with her semblance as she held the woman to the wall by her gauntlets.

"Pyrrha!" Nora and Ren came rushing up behind her as she forced the woman further into the wall.

"What did you do to him!? What did you do to Jaune!?" she demanded as her hand glowed.

"Pyrrha! Let her go!" Qrow stood in front of her and grabbed her arm. "Calm down! It might not be what you think, Raven has a way of twisting her own words. So, put her down and we'll find out what she meant!" he told the girl as she looked between her and Qrow before she dropped the woman down, who looked no less bothered by the action.

"Good grief, you huntsman always gets so emotional about this stuff. It's no wonder you act the way you do." She said as she brushed the wood chippings off her clothes and looked at the young girl.

"That is a very unique Semblance young girl. But bear in mind, overreliance on a certain skill will most certainly end your life quicker. There are other weapons out there than steel." She advised the champion who only glared.

"Now, before I was so rudely interrupted. Jaune is no longer with us because he left about two days ago: after I let him go."

Qrow looked sceptical at that. "He left? You just…let him go? You, of all people, just let him go? Sorry if I find that hard to believe." he stressed as he shook his head. "You never let anyone go, not unless it was in a pine box. So, what are you playing at?"

"It's the truth." She said as she walked back to the table. "I let Jaune Arc go because he beat me in fair combat." Now that seemed even more sceptical.

"A kid beat you. Now why do I find that harder to believe?" he asked with a sceptical voice before she held up her mask and showed the chip on the white surface.

"I made a wager that if he got one scratch on me, I would let him go. But if I beat him, he would join our clan." The others looked shocked at that. "But he managed to get one scratch and that was enough to let him leave. I am a woman of my word, after all, you know that Qrow." The man merely glared as she shook her head and downed her drink.

"Besides, that boy was more trouble than he was worth. If we had continued our fight, we would've attracted every Grimm in the forest to our location. And I wasn't going to risk everything I have on one boy…besides, he impressed me. And that doesn't happen often." He glared into his sisters' eyes to see if she was lying. He never could tell when she was keeping things hidden from him, but for the moment he knew she was telling the truth.

Maybe not the whole truth.

"Fine," he sighed. "But if he isn't with you where did he go? And why hasn't he contacted us yet?" she shrugged.

"Because I sent him off without his scroll. He could've easily contacted you and gotten a ride home, but I couldn't risk him giving away our location to the Huntsman or the Academies. He was already smart enough to figure out where our camp was, I did not want to risk letting him have a means of communicating. Now as for where he's going, he should be on his way to Shion. That was the closest I would take him."

"So, he's heading for Shion? Well, that's a start. But we're only just made it across the ocean and had to stop here at the edge of Anima to refuel. That's at least a six-hour flight." Ren surmised as she smirked at them.

"Well, you better get to it. There's no telling what that boy will get up to in six hours." The others glared before they started to walk off, hoping that by now the shuttle was fuelled up and ready to go.

"Yang…" she turned her head back to Raven who smiled warmly at her.

"You don't have to go with them, you know? You could come back to the camp with me. There is so much more going on than you realise, things that will make you understand why I left. That Arc boy may have turned me down because he was blind to the truth. But you, you're so much stronger than I ever imagined. You'd make a wonderful addition to the Clan. It's your birthright after all." she said as she spread her arms open.

"We could catch up on lost time, I could be a real mother to you..."

Yang remained silent before turning away and clenching her fists. "I had a _real_ _mother_ …her name was Summer Rose…" she glared back. "And she was more of a mother than you could ever be…" She breathed out a deep sigh before shaking her head.

"Goodbye... _Raven_." She walked away and dared not look back.

Raven stared at the retreating form of her daughter as while her face was cold, her heartfelt…hurt. The words Yang said strangely affected her, words she thought she could easily brush off. Yet why was it that they stung so much? Why was it that she felt this ache in her heart?

Why was it…that she felt so…sad?

She felt something warm roll down her cheek as she was quickly brushed it away. She then drew her sword and slashed the air as a portal of red swirled and made her way to step through but paused to look back before shaking her head and stepping through.

"Fools"

* * *

Anima Forest – Roughly the same time

* * *

Jaune's worn boots stomped on the grass and roots as he made his way through the forest. His hood over his head as his sense were sharp and alert for any sound and action as he anxiously expected a Grimm to pop and try and eat his head off.

"No wonder people don't travel by road anymore. The constant expectation of death would drive anyone mad." Jaune grumbled as he slid down a small hill.

Earlier before Jaune had to take a slight detour when Fenrir had pointed out the presence of Bandit activity, mostly due to the smell they exhumed and the signs of recent activity on the road. Not wanting to look for a fight, Jaune decided to take a route through the forest. Dangerous as there was more chance of fighting Grimm then humans, but it was better than getting shot at while he had no bullets and a still-healing body.

He was mostly healed up, but after fighting off multiple Grimm along the way, he didn't have much choice.

"What do you reckon boy? Smell anything?" the small wolf at his side sniffed the air before shaking its head. "Good, let's hope it stays that way."

He continued to move on as he treads lightly on the ground. The light from the canopy of the trees shaded the forest in a pattern of leaves. He passed his way through the shadows as he continued his long journey to get home. He looked around as more and more of the forest became familiar to him. It was the same forest he and his family used to explore on their vacations, which meant that Shion shouldn't be too far ahead. He grinned lightly as he for a moment threw hesitation out the window and started bolting it to the town.

"Yes! We're almost there Fenrir! One more step and we are out this dump!" he almost yelled in excitement as he and Fenrir rushed through the forest.

Until suddenly Fenrir stopped and growled, causing Jaune to a holt in his tracks. "W-What is it, boy?" Fenrir continued to growl as followed the wolf's gaze and slowly peeked through a large bush. His eyes widened as he spotted a group of armed men wrapped in cloaks. He couldn't make out their face, but he knew that they weren't part of the town's regular guards.

Which meant they were either huntsman or-

"Bandits! Shit! Are you fucking kidding me!?" he hissed as he slammed his back against a tree and hid from sight. "Seriously!? Just before I get to Shion I just happen to run across some bandits! Haven't I been through enough already!?"

He drew Merveilleuse from his back as he looked into the chamber to see an empty cartridge. "I've still got no bullets, and there's more of them then there are me. Shit!" He peeked around as he eyed the group.

"If I play this smart, I could sneak around them and warn the town guards. No point getting into an unnecessary fight if I have to-!" he felt a presence behind and the loud bark of Fenrir as he managed to avoid a large blade from taking his head off.

He tumbled away as he deployed Merveilleuse's blade form and looked at the man before him. "Shit! That was close!" he exclaimed as the man pulled his sword from the trunk.

"Nice dodge there, didn't expect that from a bandit." The man said as his sword was engulfed in flames. "But there's no way the _Iron Wolves_ are going to let you get away!" the man yelled as Jaune blinked.

"Iron Wolves? Wait a minute, are you-YIKES!" he exclaimed as the man swung his sword. "W-Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold it!" Jaune tried to reason as the man continued to swing his sword at Jaune. He cursed and had no choice but to focus his aura into his palm and blast the man back with a repulse.

"Wait a minute and let me get something straight! I'm not a bandit! I'm-Shit!" he exclaimed before he felt an arrow fly past his head and he barely managed to avoid several other arrows from hitting him. He looked up to the tree as a man wearing a cloak and wielding a bow and arrow stood on the branch.

"That's far enough." He ordered as he aimed his bow at Jaune. "State your business in Shion and we might let you live." He threatened as Jaune held up his hands.

"Wait! Hear me out! I'm not a bandit! And you guys aren't either, right?" he asked as the two men blinked.

"What? Of course, we're not bandits!" the man with the sword said as he pulled his hood off his head and showed his dark red hair and orange eyes. "We're the Iron Wolves, we're tasked with guarding this town. Who the hell are you?!" he asked as Jaune removed his hood.

"My name is Jaune Arc, I-I was part of the Beacon tour to the Edge! I got separated and thrown into the Black Forest Five Months ago!" he explained as both men blinked then widened their eyes at the boy, who looked similar to their former commander.

"Wait? Arc, as in Former Captain Arc's Grandson? Holy shit…you're alive!?" Gilroy exclaimed as he grabbed his head. "I can't believe this! Captain Arc's brat made it out of there! Hey Ishida! Check it out! It's that kid that fell into the forest!"

"Yes, I can see that, Gil." The man said as he removed his hood to reveal his face and a set of furry ears on top of his head.

' _Huh, so Ishida was a Faunus? Guess that explains why he glared at Wiess a lot.'_ He thought before he noticed Fenrir growling at the two men.

"Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, boy!" Jaune yelled as he stood in front of them. "Their friendlies! Friendlies! It was a misunderstanding!" he explained as the wolf lowered his growl but still glared at the men. "Sorry about that, he's not good with meeting people the first time around."

"Huh, kind of like Ishida here." Gilroy joked as the man glared at his partner while transforming his bow into a sword.

"…One of these days I will find a way to shut you up." Gilroy only grinned.

"Yeah, but then you'd miss our conversations." The Faunus merely huffed as he sheathed his weapons while Gil turned to Jaune.

"Anyway, we should probably take you to Captain Griswald. He'll be ecstatic to know you're alive, he hasn't been the same since you died. I think it's because he felt like he failed your grandfather again." Jaune nodded as he remembered Griswald telling him about his grandfather's relationship with him.

"Besides, today is a day of celebration! It's not very often that a man returns from the Black Forest alive! Drinks all around!" he shouted while Ishida glared.

"…You just want to get drunk, don't you?"

"Details, details. Come on, kid, let's get to it." Jaune nodded as he felt a smile beginning to grow on his face.

In no time at all the Iron Wolves Patrol and Jaune returned to the village of Shion. The large town instantly triggered the young boy's memories as he watched past images of his younger self, and his seven sisters, as they played and laughed in the streets. He smiled softly when he saw all the smiling faces of the familiar people he knew. Like Alan the Butcher, Richard the Baker and Old man Horton the Candle Stick Maker.

His sisters used to make a joke about that rhyme when they were younger.

"I get the feeling you've been here before?" Gilroy asked when he noticed the far off look in his eyes as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, I used to come here with my family when I was a kid. Haven't been here in a while, but the place looks pretty much the same." He smiled when he saw two kids chasing a ball while laughing.

"Well, enough dilly-dallying. It's time we saw the old man. We're operating in that building over there." He pointed to a rather old looking homestead, with a banner of the Iron Wolves hanging from the top window. Jaune nodded as he and the others walked into the building.

"Hey, old man! You'll never guess what we found!?" Gilroy proclaimed as he kicked the door open.

Near the built-in bar stood Griswald with another of the Iron Wolves and coordinating with the local guards. Jaune instantly noted the changes to the man's appearance since he last saw him five months ago. His grey hair had grown longer, his beard was fuller and thicker and notable bags could be seen under his eyes. It looked as though he had been through a lot since then.

Griswald sighed when he heard the door open and rubbed his brow.

"Gilroy how many times have I told you not to kick the door open! You're going to end up breaking the darn…thing…" he paused as he saw the smiling face of Jaune as he waved slightly at the man. "It…it can't be…"

"Hey Mister Griswald, sir. Been a while, huh?"

The old man took a tentative step forward as he looked at the boy from head to toe. Slowly walking forward as if he was standing before a ghost. "Is…is it...are you?" Jaune decided to prove himself as he pulled out the rifle from his back and held it before him. The man gingerly took it from him as he held the blade of his oldest friend and then at the armour that donned the boy.

"This is what you wanted to give me, right? my grandfather belongings, they served me very well."

The man stared at the boy before he dropped the rifle and grasped him in a hug. Jaune was momentarily stunned for a moment before he returned the gesture, albeit awkwardly. But he understood why as he heard the man mutter repeatedly.

"Thank you, thank you, Gods, I haven't failed him again." Jaune smiled softly when he knew who he was saying before the man parted.

The old man chuckled as he looked over the boy and patted his shoulders. "This…this is amazing and just as impossible, really impossible. H-how are you even here? How are you alive? …And how in the nine hells are you in Anima of all places?!" he heard a small whine as he looked down to Fenrir who looked up at him curiously.

"And is that a Dire Wolf?" he asked as Gilroy raised a brow.

"Yeah, I want to know that too?"

"Shut it, Gilroy," Ishida growled at the red-haired man while Jaune chuckled.

"That is a really, really, really long story. One I am more than happy to explain. But before any of that can, I need to contact my friends, m-my family and let them know I'm alive." Jaune set aside storytelling for the task at hand. "Can I trouble you guys by borrowing your scrolls?" he asked as everyone looked around sheepishly.

"Well…the thing about that is…we kind of _all_ kind…broke our scrolls." Jaune just stared as his left eye twitched.

"…What?"

"Yeah, unfortunately, I broke mine yesterday fighting off a Grimm Hoard just outside town, when I fell back and landed on it," Griswald admitted as Jaune turned to the others.

"I regret to inform that I lost mine during a small raid last week before we arrived," Ishida admitted as he looked away.

"I accidentally stepped on mine getting out of bed this morning," Gilroy admitted with a sheepish grin.

"I dropped mine."

"Lost it in the woods."

"Tried to see if I could download a new app…turns out it had a virus."

"…Dropped mine in a toilet."

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Jaune yelled. "Every single one of you has broken your scrolls!?" they chuckled nervously as Jaunes

"What is this?! A team of highly trained warriors or a support group for people that can't own a fucking phone!" they all chuckled sheepishly as Jaune stared in disbelief before slapping his forehead and started chuckling, then laughing a little insane.

"T-This is just great, Fan-fricking-tastic! Once again, I'm far from home with no means of communication. Because I bet if I ask anyone else in town, they'll either say no, you can't use mine, or the System is down for fucking maintenance again!"

He grabbed his head as it shook. "It's the same thing…"

"Uh…kid, are you alright?" Griswald asked as he and everyone leaned back a little from the manic laughing.

"It's the same thing! Hee-hee! It's happening all over again, just like in Riverdale!" he laughed a little as he shook his head.

"Then next thing you know I'll be in the middle of another fucking raid, or a Grimm attack or a god damn robot army from Atlas gone rouge for no reason!" he laughed not realising how close that came to be as he fell to his knees as everyone stepped back a little. "Then I'm going to end up somewhere else further from home! Like Vacuo! Or Atlas! Or…I don't know? The God damn Moon for all I care!" he cackled/cried as fell to his hands and knees and pounded the earth.

"Can't I get a break? Can't I just get one simple break!? One _simple_ break! Just one! That's all I ask! That is all I fucking ask of this universe!" he curled his arms around his head as he lay on the floor in a ball, while Fenrir looked concerned at his master.

"My life is a pit of misery and entertainment for some higher deity (or deities) I just know it!"

Griswald cleared his throat as he kneeled and patted the boy's shoulder. "…Uh, we don't have scrolls, but we do have a long-range communicator you can use." He stopped crying as he craned his head up slowly and looked at the man.

"…Come again?"

"I said, we have an old Portable Communicator – Military Grade. It was given to us a long time ago for a job we did in Atlas. It can pretty much contact anyone you want on the planet, so long as the CCT network is up. We've been using it to contact our contractors and our allies. I can even get you a direct line to the Headmaster of Beacon if you'd like?" Griswald explained in hopes of cheering the boy up.

Said boy stared with a blank expression on his face as he seemed almost stone-like in appearance. "Boy?" Gris asked before tears started to explode rapidly from his eyes and he latched onto the man's waist.

"Thank you! Thank you! You are a kind, wonderful man! I swear I'll name my first-born child after you! Gah! Ahahahahahaha!" he cried as he wept tears of joy.

Griswald and the others looked uncomfortable at this, some of them being drenched in his tears, as the man merely patted the boy's shoulder. "There, there, it's all right now." He tried to calm the boy down who only cried louder.

' _He is just like his grandfather…overacts to everything.'_ The man thought with a somewhat amused smile as he thought fondly of a similar man from long ago and he felt his hearts burden weigh lesser now...

"…Okay, you can stop now…seriously stop it…stop it…stop it! Stop crying already! Ah gross! You're getting snot and tears all over my clothes!" Jaune merely cried louder as the others chuckled a little, glad to see their captain back to normal.

"What's going on?" a man walked in as everyone turned a rather handsome and well-dressed man walk into the room. He was dressed like his fellow brothers in arms, but he had a few fancier accessories and well-kempt hair. Jaune instantly recognised him as Gaius, the former Mistralian diplomat and current member of the Iron wolves.

"Gaius, where have you been? You were supposed to report back from patrol an hour ago." Griswald asked as he managed to push the boy off and wipe the snot from his vest.

"I was dealing with a trader in town. Personal business involving my family back home. I apologise." He claimed as the older man looked suspicious but nodded. "Anyway, what's going on here, who's the kid?" he asked as he looked at the young man.

"Oh man, Gaius, you will not believe this. Remember that kid that fell into the Forest months ago?" Gilroy asked as he nodded slightly. "Well turns out he's alive and made it back here." He grinned as he pulled the kid around the shoulder and ruffled his hair. "Damn kid's a lot tougher than we thought!" he laughed while Jaune blushed at the praise.

"Oh, I see…" he looked at the boy and smiled. "It's good to know that you survived the Fall of the Edge. You must've been through quite the ordeal?" he asked as Jaune nodded.

"You have no idea. I'm more than happy to tell you all about it, but right now I need to contact my school. Let my friends know I'm alive, and hopefully, they can let my family know I'm okay too."

"Wouldn't' you rather contact your family first?" Griswald asked as Jaune shook his head.

"No, I want to see my family in person, rather than on a television screen after so long. And there are things I need to discuss with them in person…things I need to say and get off my chest." The Mercenary Leader raised an eyebrow but nodded all the same, while Gaius seemed to be eyeing the boy.

* * *

Beacon Academy – Ozpin's Office

* * *

Ozpin continued to type on his keyboards, while simultaneously signing papers, as he finished finalising his reports to the Vale Council. Such as regulating the budget to upgrade the defences, recommendations for the candidacy for the Next Haven Headmaster position, faculty upgrades, as well as rescheduling of the Vytal Festival for the end of the Year. Even though the Vytal Festival had to be put on hold, due to the foiled invasion plot, the council still recommended having the Festival to promote the peace it stood for.

It was a lot of work, but he did it, and he managed to complete it all by himself…

Okay maybe he got Glynda to do most of the work, but he was very busy with Headmaster… _stuff_ …and not sneaking out to the new coffee store in town.

But in seriousness, Ozpin was busy helping the Council choose a new Headmaster for Haven as well as increasing the defences for the comatose Fall Maiden.

After the discovery of Lionheart's betrayal and made him realise how contented he had grown over the years, and how vital it was that he discovered a way to end this Shadow War once and for all. He still had no idea how much Lionheart had told the enemy, so he had to be cautious and plan accordingly. How many more systems were compromised? How many other secrets had he divulged to the enemy? And how many more were turning against him?

He truly did not know…and that worried him.

But he wasn't going to allow himself to wallow in doubt. He had done that at one point in his life through drinks, and he was not about to return to that stage. He was going to stop this war, one way or another. Still, the of the relic of knowledge words both haunted and perplexed him to this day. He was tasked by the God of Light to stop Salem and end her curse.

Yet, Jinn claimed he could not stop her. After that, he had pretty much contented to hide the Relics away from her reach. Recently he began to wonder if maybe he had misunderstood her words.

If he was not the one to end her curse, then it must full to someone else…or rather others.

Other than his perplexing destiny, the Council was still hounding at him to restart the Vytal Tournament. Ozpin was hesitant to continue the tournament but ultimately agreed with the council to promote peace of mind for the populace. However, now that he knew that the Festival would be one of Salem's targets and the CCT, he planned for much better security to protect their vital assets. She may attempt a second attack on the festival, but he knew that she was not that stupid to try something again.

He had to be even more vigilante now for whatever she had planned. He still thanked the gods for the small mercy of Mister Arc stumbling across the invasion plot and transferring the data that spared them from what could've been a major disaster. The acts he accomplished alone would earn him a medal or two once he returned home. If he returned home.

He recently received an update from Qrow's team that Mister Arc had been taken by Qrow's sister and former member of Team STRQ – Raven – to Anima.

He had known Raven for a long time, seen potential in her abilities, and hoped that she would become a valuable asset in against Salem. He even went as far as divulging the true nature of the Shadow War to both her and her brother, even gifted them the ability to shapeshift, to become effective spies. But when she abandoned them, he felt as if he made a mistake, and now used the gift he gave her to harm others.

The Reality of the War was too much for her to handle and she left to re-join her old life.

He knew had no right to force her back to his fold, it was her choice and he would have to accept it. But even still, he had hoped.

On the other hand, he knew that Raven would interrogate the boy for information: to bolster her defences. If Mister Arc had stumbled upon something else on his travels, she would likely want to know. But that also left the possibility that she would divulge information to him. He must know by now there was more going on in the world than just Huntsman business.

She may have told him about the War, Salem, the Maidens, the relics that slumbered under the academies. He could have potentially been exposed to the Shadow War.

Which was ironic since that was what he had planned to do to his partner, had her mental fortitude not been brought to light. He wondered though how Mister Arc would deal with this kind of information? Would he be scared, paranoid or would he seek out Salem in a vain attempt to stop her? He would have to deal with that problem when it came. For now, he had paperwork to deal with.

"Still, no matter how many lifetimes I live, Paperwork is my true enemy…" he sighed as he signed the umpteenth time. "I wish for anything to distract me from this torment." As if the Gods answered, his intercom sprung to life.

" _Headmaster? You have an incoming call from a Captain Griswald, of the Iron Wolves. He asked that I redirect the call to you personally. Should I transfer the call to you or-"_

One of the secretaries spoke as he quickly nodded. "Yes! Yes absolutely! …Ahem…I mean yes, please transfer the call to me. I will take it right away." He answered as he sighed in relief. "Finally, something to distract me." The screen started to appear as static took over before the image slowly started to appear.

" _H-Hel..lo? H-Hel..lo? Is…working?"_

" _Give it…a minute…still far from Network…needs time…signa…clearing…up…."_

He heard a voice over the radio that was far younger than what he expected, but also familiar. The screen soon cleared up as a very familiar, yet slightly wilder looking, young man appeared on the screen.

" _Hello? Hello? Headmaster can you hear me. It's Jaune Arc, please respond."_

Ozpin instantly bolted to his feet, knocking over the stack of paperwork to the ground as he stared with a rare sense of disbelief. "Mister Arc! You're alive!"

" _Yeah, yeah I'm alive and well. I'm currently in Shion at the moment with Griswald and the Iron Wolves. Happy to report that I am alive and well."_

"Shion? How did you get over there? My contact last reported you had left the confines of Miss Raven Branwen."

" _Oh, her…Well after she let me go, she sent me halfway to Shion. She opened some kind of portal and just dropped me off in the middle of nowhere without a scroll or ammo. I'm lucky I didn't get eaten on the way here."_

Ozpin nodded, figuring Raven would do something like that. "Well, it's very good to hear from you, Mister Arc. I am very, very relieved to see that you are alive and well. I want to humbly apologise on behalf of Beacon Academy for leaving you behind and assure that we would've instantly recovered you if we had known you had survived the fall." Jaune merely waved his hand.

" _It's fine, I know I didn't give you guys a lot of reason to believe I was alive. I'll just be glad to get home; can you send a shuttle to pick me up? I could use break right now."_

"Mister Arc, I had already sent out a search team to Riverdale looking for you; they're currently in Anima as well following a lead on you. I believe you would know who I sent." Jaune blinked before his eyes widened with what appeared to be hope and joy.

" _Wait, you sent my friends out here? T-That's awesome! I-I can finally get back to them! W-Where are they now, I'll try to call them!"_

"No need for that Mister Arc, I'll forward the call straight to their shuttle. Hopefully, they are not too far out and will reach you shortly." Jaune nodded as the man began to transfer the call to their shuttle.

" _Also, Headmaster…"_

Ozpin looked back as Jaune stared at him.

" _When I get back, we need to talk. I…Raven told me something things that I don't think I'm supposed to know. Things we need to talk about...privately."_

Ozpin instantly realised what he meant and nodded.

"I…I understand Mister Arc, please do not discuss what you've learnt with your friends. What you know is vital and highly classified information. It would be best if we debriefed you on it personally once you get back." Jaune nodded.

" _Understood…and can you tell my family I'm all right, I don't want them to worry anymore and…I want to see them in person and not on a screen."_

"I understand and will Mister Arc, safe travels." He transferred the call as he fell back into his seat and sighed a breath of relief. He rubbed a hand over his tired face as he looked at the call icon and dialled a certain number. A number he had been hesitant to call if it turned out Jaune had perished at Riverdale. But now that he had confirmation, he could call without hesitation.

" _...Hello?"_

He breathed a sigh before he spoke. "Roland, its Ozpin. I have some news…it's about your son…He's alive" what followed next was the sound of a plate smashing and the cries of a desperate family as relief and flooded the Arc homestead and brought back the hope that had been gone.

* * *

Shuttle 2567 – Somewhere over Anima

* * *

An awkward silence hung over the air as the passengers of the shuttle were busy processing what had transpired. Meeting Yang's mom, learning that their friend was alive and currently on the move and that he had supposedly had to fight for his release. Which was still a little shocking to Qrow and Oobleck, as the woman was renowned for her swordsmanship and lack of empathy for her enemy.

For her to just let someone go, there had to be more to it.

But the most silent was Yang, who had grown uncharacteristically quite after meeting her birth mother. Her eyes just staring out the window and back to the town where they left her behind.

"Yang?" she turned to Blake as her partner placed a hand on her own. "Are you okay?" she gently removed her hand from hers as she shoved them into her coat pockets.

"I'm fine. Just…give me a minute." She spoke with uncertainty in her voice as she averted her gaze. "I just…I just don't how to feel right now. I spent so much time looking for her, expecting something to happen between us that would make me feel different. But after meeting her…she wasn't what I thought she'd be."

"Raven does have that impression on people," Qrow spoke up as he drowned his flask. "But for what it's worth…I think you handled yourself pretty well in there, firecracker. I'm proud of you." He sent her a small smile as the young brawler smiled back.

"Still, at least we know Jaune is still alive." Pyrrha finally spoke as she managed to calm down after her little outburst with Raven. "Now we just need to head over to Shion and pick him up." Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, it should be a piece of cake." She said while her partner shook her head.

"If what she say's is true, can we even trust her word? She is a bandit, after all, no offence Yang." Said girl merely shook her head as she continued. "She could've lied just to get information out of us." Qrow sighed as he nodded.

"That is a good point snowflake. I've known my sister for a long time, and even I can't tell anymore whether or not she's telling the truth sometimes. I wouldn't put it past her to make it up just to get what she wants. For all we know, she still has him at the main camp."

"So, I guess we'll have to find out for ourselves once we get to Shion," Ren said as everyone nodded. Qrow put his flask away and made way to the cockpit to make sure they were on the right course.

"Excuse me, sir?" the pilot spoke as he leaned out. "You've got an urgent transmission from Headmaster Ozpin. He says he's redirecting a communication out in Anima and that it's important that you and the students receive it." Qrow sighed as he rubbed his hand over his face. Probably thinking that it was something about the new Haven Headmaster or a clue to the Arc's location.

"All right. Put it through." As he turned on the monitor, fully expecting to see the familiar white hair of the Beacon Headmaster.

" _Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Hello? Hello? Guys, are you there!?"_

What they go instead was a sudden jolt as a familiar, yet almost forgotten voice spoke out before blond hair and blue eyes filled the screen. Jaune's startled face appeared on the monitor as he looked at the occupants with a small awkward smile.

"… _Hey guys, miss me?"_

"JAUNE!"

Faster than Qrow could register several bodies rushed past him as they crowded around the monitor, the shuttle shook slightly at the sudden shift of mass. The pilot throwing a string of curses that were drowned out by the multiple voices that resonated loudly around the shuttle's hull.

"Jaune! I can't believe it! You're alive! Thank God you're alive!" Pyrrha's voice was a mixture of cracking and joy as she looked upon the weathered face of her partner, but a noticeable smile on her lips and a spark in her eyes. A small smile forming on his lips as he smiled back at his partner.

" _Pyrrha..."_

He spoke through the radio as the red-haired champion smiled back. "Jaune…" Right before she was shoved aside by Nora.

"Fearless leader! I knew you couldn't be killed off like that! Oh! We have so much catching up to do! Like Grimm Studies, and camping, and bike riding, and pancake eating-holy crap I just realised! You've been away from the holy delectable of the fluffy treats! We'll fix that as soon as you get back her and-hmm!"

"That's enough Nora, other people want to talk to," Ren said with a hand over her mouth. "Still, it is good to see you again, Jaune. We were all worried about you." Jaune nodded at his end, trying to get a word in, only for a theme of white to occupy the screen

"Where are you, you dunce! Do you have any idea how worried you made us! I have half a mind to make you - Gah!" she was shoved aside by Yang.

"Don't be like that Weiss! Guy's been through a lot, be a little easy on him. Hey Jaune! I'm so happy to see you again! Don't take what Weiss Cream say's, she missed you just as much as everyone else. She's just being her usual Tsundere self."

"I am not a Tsundere! And don't interrupt me! Of course, I missed him! Don't make me sound like some sort of-!"

"Yeah whatever, so anyway, where are you? Last we heard my mum sent you halfway to Shion," Jaune nodded.

" _Yeah, she teleported me halfway there and I had to walk the rest of the way, with no scroll….and no ammo…and nearly no food at all…no offence Yang, but your mum is a bit of a bitch."_

Yang chuckled a little before nodding her head.

"Yeah, I'm…starting to realise that a bit." She then looked at the boy as she noted the changes he went through. "Got to admit, you look like you went through a lot. You look like a proper huntsman now…not bad" she smirked and winked as the boy blushed slightly at her alluring gaze.

"Okay, that's enough, sis!" Ruby tackled her sister out of the way as said girl gagged from the sudden impact.

"Jaune! Jaune is so good to see you again! You have no idea how worried I've been! I thought for sure I lost my first Beacon buddy and now that you're alive we can be super best buddies! I mean I've got Weiss as a super best buddy, but you're like my second super best buddy, which isn't' to say you're any less than being my super best buddy! I think of both of you as my super-duper best buddies, and I care about you two – and everyone else – equally! Gah! I'm rambling! Sorry! Point is I'm so glad you're okay because I got really sad when you disappeared and-!" she started to ramble off as Jaune leaned back from the screen.

' _Note to self, apologize as soon as she stops rambling'_

Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder as Blake broke her from her trance.

"It's alright now, Ruby. I think he's got the idea." She nodded and stepped back as Blake took over the screen. "It is good to see that you are alright, a lot of us were upset when we thought that you had died. Which is to say we're sorry that we left you behind." Jaune merely shrugged his shoulders.

" _It's cool, I know you guys didn't mean to. And as for where I am, I'm in Shion with the Iron Wolves. I just arrived in town a little while ago. I just contacted Beacon and let Headmaster Ozpin know that I'm alive, he's the one who forwarded me to you guys."_

"Well, that's good to hear." They turned back to Qrow as he walked over. "So, you're the Arc kid my nieces have been talking about…" Jaune raised an eyebrow as he looked at the man with black hair and familiar red eyes.

" _Nieces? …I'm guessing your Ruby and Yang's uncle?"_

"That's right: names Qrow and you've met my sister, correct?" Jaune nodded. "Yeah…sorry about that, my sister can be a bit of a…difficult person to deal with. Though I must say I'm impressed. Not many can go toe to toe with her and walk out in one piece."

" _Yeah, tell me about it…so anyway, how far are you guys? Cause I really, really could use a lift right about now."_

"We're about four hours out from Shion. We had to stop to talk to my darling sister to find out where you were. But now that we know she wasn't bluffing; we can head straight on to Shion. Be ready for pick up and keep an eye out. Just because you're behind some walls, doesn't mean something won't still happen till we arrive. Trust me." Qrow instructed as Jaune nodded on his end.

" _You don't have to tell me twice. I'm going to rest up here, maybe restock on supplies. Never know what could happen. But I hope nothing happens."_

Pyrrha walked up to the screen as she placed her hand on the monitor, something Jaune reciprocated as if they were merely separated by a plane of glass. "Be safe Jaune, we're coming…it's so good to see you again." Jaune nodded.

" _You too Pyrrha…you too…"_

The screen went dark as Pyrrha felt a warm tear at the corner of her eye before brushing it away, looking back to the others as they nodded. Qrow nodded as well as he turned back to the pilot. "Let's pick up the pace. The sooner we get to Shion the better." The pilot nodded as he increased speed and flew towards the small town.

* * *

Shion Village – roughly Two Hours later

* * *

Jaune sat around the table with Griswald, Gilroy and Gaius as he managed to freshen up after being on the road for three days. His joints relieved from the stress of constant walking, and his mind more relaxed then it had been for a while now. Luckily the Mercenary Band was given the use of an abandoned home to set up as a base and had a spare room for the young Arc – albeit temporarily. It had all the proper facilities that one would need for long durations.

After a nice long shower, and a hot meal, he sat down and talked with Griswald, Gaius, Gilroy and Ishida as he regaled them on the adventure he had.

"And then I got taken by this Raven woman, fought her and won, and then made my way here. That's when I met up with you guys and made it back here…well, after the small misunderstanding at the gate with Gilroy here nearly taking my head off." The said redhead chuckled nervously as he scratched his head.

"Hehe, err…yeah…sorry about that. Well, it's a good thing you dodged though, otherwise, we'd have to explain to your family why you'd lost a few inches!" he laughed while Ishida sighed while slapping his forehead.

"Indeed. I for one would not want to face the wrath of your parents. Especially that mother of yours boy…ho boy!" Griswald sighed in relief as he thought about the possible ramifications of the Arc Matriarch and what would've happened to them.

Jaune didn't need any further explanation, he had seen the strength of his mother many times growing up and thus learned not to vex her and be respectful to his elders. He had once seen her lift a rude muscular man like a toothpick and throw him right out of the tavern…

After going through a wall…or two.

"She sounds like an impressive woman," Gilroy commented as Griswald nodded.

"Indeed, she is. In any case, it sounds like you've been through a lot, kid. Infiltrating a White Fang Cell, a Bandit raid and fight a bandit leader. You've been through more shit in a week than most huntsman experience in their first years of active service. This will no doubt make you a renown warrior just like your ancestors." He praised while Jaune nodded.

"Well, what do you expect, he is an Arc. That clan was pretty famous for that kind of stuff back in the day. Like the old Captain Arc when he led us. I remember when I tried to challenge him for the leadership of the Iron Wolves when I learned his real age." Gil reminisced as Jaune raised an eyebrow at this.

"You fought my grandfather?" he asked in amazement as he nodded.

"Yep. It's the weird thing that you Arc's age slower than most. Anyway, I thought his age would hinder him eventually, despite how he looked. So, I wanted to take command…I still feel some of those bruises" he rubbed his side in remembrance of Cornelius Arc.

"You do seem to respect those that can kick your ass, Gil," Gaius remarked as the said man nodded.

"Yeah, but only if you can kick my ass and show me respect, then I'm more than happy to follow in line. Heck, even his parents were pretty top-notch back in the day, you know, before they retired." Gilroy said as Ishida nodded.

"Indeed. Looking now, you'd find it hard to believe his mother and father were considered one of the strongest huntsmen in existence. But I guess time has its effect on everything. Still, I know that she and the rest of your family will be ecstatic to know that you're alive. I will imagine that they will try and convince you to retire from the Academies, something your grandfather would be against." Ishida asked as Jaune pondered.

"Maybe…it's something I know they'll try and persuade me towards. But this whole experience has made me understand where they were coming from. But it hasn't changed my mind or my desires. I will become a huntsman and I will be like my grandfather. Even if I have to go against them to do it." Griswald eyed the boy as he nodded.

"I wouldn't worry child, a lot has changed since we last met, and your absence might have finally given them clarity over their beliefs. Especially seeing how much you've developed into a cunning warrior. You've grown a lot since the Battle at the Edge, that is clear to see." Jaune nodded.

"Yeah…I still remember everything about that battle. Every small detail, every location of my friends. Even where you guys were during the battle. It's all still so clear." Jaune spoke as he remembered the Edge and the day he was separated from his friends.

"You have the mind of a warrior now. That kind of experience sticks with you and sharpens your skill for the rest of your life. If that doesn't convince your parents that you're ready for the life of a Huntsman, I don't know what will. But maybe once they found out your title, they might change their tunes." Jaune paused as he blinked in confusion.

"Title? When did I earn a title?" he asked.

"You haven't heard? Over the past few days word has been spreading of the man who went against the Sabretooth clan and won. About the man who fought off Bandits and Grimm and saved the lives of half a town by himself. My contacts have told me the leader of the Sabretooth's, Victor, has been ranting in a mad state about the man who defeated him. About a man who travels with a White Wolf and wields strange powers, who decimated nearly all of his men and gouged his eye from its socket."

Jaune looked down at his hand as he remembered the battle and the blood that stained it.

"I didn't realise it at first, but that little wolf on your lap, and elements from your story." Jaune looked down to Fenrir curled on his lap. "Leads me to think that you are the White Wolf. The man who slaughtered an entire Bandit clan and saved half a town…" Jaune curled his hand.

"I didn't have much choice. I did what I had to, to save the civilians. If he had given me another choice to just walk and let them die…I would never accept it."

"I know, kid. You're a lot like your grandfather. If he was in your shoes, he would've done the same thing you did." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "And you saved many lives that day, you should be proud of that. I know your grandfather would've been proud too." Jaune stared for a moment before nodding, finding acceptance in his words.

"…So, the White Wolf? …I kinda like it. It's cool, and I've always wanted a cool nickname…better than the one I already have." He muttered the last part to himself.

"Don't get full of yourself kid, just because you have a fancy title, don't mean it will grant you immunity. The next guy coming at you will not hesitate to kill ya. Trust me." Gilroy advised as the others looked to him.

"Wow…that is the first sensible thing you have ever said in your life," Ishida said before Gilroy grinned.

"Damn straight. Now let's celebrate with some booze!"

"And just like that, the universe is back to normal." They laughed as raised their jugs, Jaune's having water in it, as they toasted to their accomplishments.

That was until another member of the Iron Wolves burst through the door.

"Sir, we've got trouble." The table occupants turned to the man. Who had amber coloured eyes, light brown hair and dressed in the standard grey armour of the Iron Wolves. The only difference was that he had a red bandana wrapped around his head with small strands of brown hair sticking out of the corners of his bandana.

"Bruno, what's the matter?" Gris asked as Bruno brought out a map.

"We were scouting the area when we spotted activity a few miles from the town, here." He pointed to the edge of the coloured perimeter. "I would've investigated further, but there was no way to tell how many of them there were, so I had to pull them back." Gaius' eyed the map slightly as he stood up.

"They're probably just nomads getting too close to the settlement with realizing it," Gaius said as he furled up the map. "I'm sure if we leave them alone, they'll wander off." He tried to persuade them as Griswald sighed and pondered.

"Maybe, but I can't take that risk. Ever since we lost the Edge, there has a string of bandit raids from every town we've guarded. I'm starting to think there's a pattern. Someone is either tailing us and gathering information, or there's an informant amongst our ranks." Gilroy, Ishida and Gaius widened their eyes at this.

"But I'm hoping that's not the case, I trust you, men, completely. In any case, we can't afford to let them be. We need more information. And unfortunately, we're stretched thin as it is since we lost half our men when the Edge fell. I can leave the town, and I need you two to watch the perimeter and there is no way I'm sending out untrained guards."

"Then I'll go. I'm your best scout after all. With my semblance, I should be able to sneak up to them and learn more about them." Gaius volunteered as Gris nodded.

"True, but I still don't like the idea of you going out by yourself." He sighed as he rubbed a hand through his hair. Jaune looked to the men and the wolf on his lap before he sighed.

"I'll go." His voice spoke as everyone turned to him. "I'll help Bruno and Gaius scout the men."

"No! No way! Kid, you've been through enough as it is. You're almost about to go home anyway, I'm not putting you in any unnecessary risk. You just wait for your friends and I'll think of something else." He argued as Gaius nodded.

"He's right. Bruno and I can handle this. As I said, it's probably just some nomads or stray Grimm." Gaius tried to argue as Jaune shook his head.

"And what if it isn't? From what I know, the Sabretooth's had been scouting out Riverdale for months, long after you guys left. If this is just like that, or Grimm, I can't just let it happen again to Shion. Not if I can't do something about it. Besides, my friends will be here soon. They can provide backup when they get here, you've seen them fight. But we need to know who we're up against. And as you said, you don't have the manpower. To be truthful, I'd rather not risk losing a chance to go home by volunteering either. But I don't want to risk misjudging this and falling into another trap. So, whether I like it or not, I have to go with them."

Griswald stared at the boy who remained him so much of his grandfather, the man who he would follow to hell and back and couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia from the Arc.

"…All right. Against all forms of sense and judgment, I'll send you with them. But I am _**ordering**_ you to remain at a distance. Leave the reconnaissance to Bruno and Gaius. They are the only ones with the Skill and Semblance to handle it if things get hairy pull back immediately. You need to go home, understood?"

Jaune nodded as he got up and grabbed his grandfather's rifle and loaded the magazine in.

"Let's get to it."

* * *

Short While Later – Edge of Shion

* * *

Jaune, Fenrir, Bruno and Gaius snuck their ways through the forest as their forms were cloaked in the foliage and shadows. Jaune's many months of stalking his prey made him much more adept in stealth. His feet treading lightly upon the ground so as not to alert their enemies.

"Not bad kid didn't expect a newbie like you to be able to move as quiet as you do." Bruno praised a little as they snuck through the forest.

"I spent five months in a forest full of Grimm and death, where any small noise could tip of either prey or by predators. I learnt very quickly how to be stealthy." A small whine caught his attention as the Wolf looked up at him. "And Fenrir did make tracking a lot easier." The small pup hummed in agreement as he enjoyed the head pat.

"Keep it down, we're close," Gaius spoke as he and the others drew near the area. Jaune luckily still managed to hold onto the Recon Scope he had from the Edge, as he peered through the treelines and searched for the targets.

"See anything kid?" Bruno asked.

"I think I see something, but I can't be sure. One of us is going to have to go in closer for a better look."

"You mean one of _us,_ kid. Captain Reinhold made it very clear you are to stay away from conflict. I'll go on ahead and scout it out. My Semblance allows me to bend light around my body for five minutes at a time." Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"It means I can turn invisible for five minutes. I should be able to get close enough to find out if it's just Grimm or bandits."

"Why didn't you just say invisibility? That's a lot easier to explain than 'bending light', seriously."

"I know right! But Gaius always likes to make it sound more complicated than it needs to be."

"Just stay here, I'll be back shortly." He growled before his body glowed with a light blue aura and he disappeared, and the only sign of his existence was the light tread marks in the dirt and the brushing of leaves.

"Is he always like that?"

"Sometimes. We should probably be ready; we still don't know if they're enemies here and the last thing we want is a firefight." He looked to the little wolf. "Think your little buddy there can sniff them out if they get too close?" Jaune nodded.

"Fenrir is good at tracking and perimeter watching. He'll let us know if anyone with a strange scent gets too close." Bruno nodded as he drew his pistols and hid behind the tree alongside Jaune.

"While we have some time, what do you know about Gaius? He seemed very strange when we talked about the disturbance here."

"I wouldn't worry about it. He's always been a little strange. Your Grandfather let him join up with us about Thirteen years ago. He's been all right since then. He's the best scout we have in the Wolves."

"He must be a capable warrior then, huh?"

"He is. Don't know much about him, but he says his family trained him at a young age in both battle and politics. Even served as a diplomat in Mistral. But after he was accused of selling sensitive information on the black market he was forced to leave. So, your grandfather took him and put him to work as our scout. He was part of the same team when your grandfather..." He paused trying to find the right words.

"Died?"

"Yeah, sorry id didn't mean." Jaune, however, shook his head.

"It's all right. It happened a long time ago. I'm sure he did his best just as anyone would've." Bruno nodded as he rested against the tree. "But there is one thing that has been bothering me." He looked back to the boy as a look of concentration was on his face.

"I keep thinking of back to the Edge when we were suddenly attacked by Grimm. Captain Reinhold noted that something wasn't right before everything went to hell. Then when he tried to get the defences running, they didn't respond. I always thought that what happened that day was just an accident, an unforeseen consequence. But…what if it wasn't an accident?" Bruno raised an eyebrow.

"What you mean?"

"I mean, don't you think it as a little odd that the auto-guns just happened to fail during a Grimm raid? I mean you guys had to have done, what, like a million-maintenance test on the guns before we arrived. Why would they suddenly stop working just as the Grimm attacked."

"That is strange. But I still don't see what you mean about it not being an accident. In real life, not everything goes smoothly. Some things are bound to happen."

"Maybe…but answer me this, where were you during the raid?" Jaune asked as the man thought for a moment.

"I was on the west battlements, with you and the students. I was fighting alongside this kid with a mace and a Mohawk kid with dust daggers." Jaune nodded.

"Cardin and Russell, yeah that's where I remember them. I remember Gilroy and Captain Griswald were in the courtyard and Ishida was with Pyrrha, Ruby and Nora on the rooftops providing cover fire. The ones that fell I found at the edge…but here's the part that still confuses me, where was Gaius during all this?" he asked as Bruno started to speak but paused as he pondered.

"I think he said he was headed to the armoury to check the ammunition." Jaune shook his head.

"That can't be, because I remember Ishida saying he was heading to the ammunition, right before the attack. But where was Gaius during the battle? I can't seem to place him anywhere in my memory." Bruno looked more concerned as he too was starting to piece the puzzle together.

"I…I can't remember. But he was injured in the fight, he was covered in just as many cuts and scrapes as we were…at least, I thought he was…" he started looking distressed. "And right before we left Riverdale, he said he was going to do one last sweep of the perimeter before we were transferred to Shion. But he didn't return till two hours later." Jaune pondered.

"And we believe that the armoury in Riverdale was sabotaged by a bandit that managed to sneak in during the chaos…but what if a bandit didn't sneak into the camp. What if the armoury was already rigged to detonate, and the bandit just had to retrieve a detonator hidden in the woods?" Both men looked to each other as a grim thought came to their minds.

"We need to head back to town. Let Griswald know that-Gah!" Bruno never got to finish before he was zapped with a surge of electricity. His body fell to the ground as the air shifted around and revealed Gaius.

"You just had to figure it out, didn't you?"

"Bruno!? You bastard!" Jaune yelled as he drew his sword and charged at the man.

But before he could strike the man, Gaius held up his wrist and shot a green mist right into Jaune's face. He coughed and wheezed as the mist invaded his mouth and seeped into his lungs. His vision began to blur, and all sense of motor control began to leave him as he dropped his rifle.

Fenrir growled and lunged the man who merely stunned the wolf with his baton as the wolf whined in pain before collapsing to the ground unconscious.

"Fen!" he tried to lunge at the man, but he stumbled and fell to his knees. "W-What is this!?" Jaune demanded through violent coughs.

"It's a powerful nerve agent I developed. Here's an interesting thing about Aura, kid. It can guard the body against all forms of physical attacks, but it can't protect us from air-borne pathogens or illnesses. This little beauty has come quite handy in from time to time." He gestured to the gauntlet on his writs.

"Especially when anyone discovers my secret."

His voice began to slur as the world around Jaune warped and black spots crawled at the edge of his vision.

"It's cute that you think you can fight off the effects, but it won't do you any good." Gaius taunted as Jaune fell to the floor, but still struggled to stand up. "It's very effective against huntsman's…especially with this!" his fist collided with his face as darkness soon enveloped his vison and he passed out.

* * *

Hours Later

* * *

He didn't know how much time had passed when he woke up, but he felt his arms and legs bound together behind his back and several blurry figures standing before. One of them sounding like Gaius as he seemed to be talking to one of them. A big man with a shaven head.

"I told you, idiots, to stay away from the perimeter! Do you have any idea what you could cost me!? If I didn't sneak back around these two would've blown my cover! I can't afford to lose that, otherwise, you lose any hopes of gaining any intel for the town's defences!" he heard Gaius speak as the bald man grumbled.

"Well from what I hear your intel isn't worth much nowadays, especially after what happened in Riverdale. You sold similar intel to the Sabretooth's, and they nearly got wiped out by a single Huntsman!"

"That was an unforeseen circumstance! My intel was good, my detonators worked. It's not my fault they failed a simple job! So, if you want that intel you better treat me with some respect and help me deal with this. Because now I got to spin a convincing enough story to explain what happened to these two!"

"Well think of something, because we need to fill our quota. And you owe us some fresh meat."

"I know, just help me deal with this!"

Jaune shifted his gaze as he noticed Fenrir in a similar state, his paws bound together with rope as the small pup slowly regained consciousness. He looked over and spotted Bruno as he too was bound, but out like a light and stripped of his gear.

"Hey boss, this one is waking up!" he heard someone yell before he was grabbed by the hair and pulled to his knees.

"Well, look who's awake. Morning sleepyhead, nice to see you up and about." Gaius said with a small grin before Jaune's eyes narrowed to glare and he tried to lunge, only for a sudden shock to blast through his system. "Ah, ah, ah~ none of that now." Gaius grinned as a bandit held a shock stick. "Let's try and be a little civilised right, shall we? And don't even try to use your Semblance. That little drug I used on you limits your aura control, leaving you and Bruno here pretty much vulnerable."

"G-Gaius…you're working for bandits?"

"Working? No, no, no my friend. I don't work for bandits. More, they come to me for… _assistance_ , when it comes to raids. I'm what you would call an _information broker_ and part-time saboteur. For the right price, of course."

"Saboteur? …You…you were the reason the Edge fell? You sabotaged the auto-guns." Gaius nodded.

"I did, that was a rather interesting job I will admit. I still have no idea who it was that wanted me to take down the defences, but a job is a job, and I do enjoy my job."

"B-but what about the Iron Wolves? Why would you betray them like this?" Gaius stared before he chuckled.

"You think I care about those bunch of idiots? I never held any loyalty to them. They were just a means to an end." he said as Jaune glared.

"So those allegations of you selling information on the black market were true?" the man nodded.

"Correct. Every single one of them." He never noticed Bruno's body starting to move or Jaune focusing his aura subtly to form a small knife.

"And you've been selling information about the towns you visit with the Iron Wolves to these guys?" he gestured the men dressed in heavy gear and weapons. They had what looked like a bloody circle with a handprint and two swords cross each other.

"Not them particularly, but these men are the most loyal customers. If I bring them fresh meat for their benefactors."

"But why? Aren't the iron Wolves like family?" Gaius merely stared before chuckling darkly.

"Family? Let me tell you something about my family. My _**family**_ trained me to become a diplomat for the clan, to earn the prestige and wealth so they wouldn't have to lift a finger for the rest of their life. Long before I even had a chance to choose. I got good, I got wealthy and I had a good life. But it wasn't enough, I wanted more. Unfortunately, I got a little too greedy and got caught by my superiors, so I had to run. Luckily after I left Mistral your grandfather just happened to be completing a mission at the time and bought my sob story and welcomed me with open arms." He paused as he clenched his hands.

"but instead of living a life of comfort as I had back in Mistral, I had to _work_ every day just to afford food and ammunition. I have to put my life on the line for stupid weak peasants that should be serving me! Not the other way around! I shouldn't be wading through mud-covered swamps or baking in hot climate deserts or Grimm infested forests! I deserve better than this!" he yelled before he calmed himself.

"So, I decided to make a little money on the side. And it's not like anyone cares about those villages. They knew the risks when they chose to live outside Kingdom Walls, nine of ten villages usually end up overrun within a week. I just happen to help the process move along a little quicker." Jaune glared as the man grinned.

"How the hell didn't Griswald or my grandfather not see what kind of slimeball you were?" Jaune growled as the man grinned.

"Oh, believe me, your grandfather was close to figuring out the truth…up until that mission we went on, and I left him to die." He grinned as Jaune's face went blank.

"W-What? You…you had my grandfather..." Gaius grinned in confirmation as a boiling rage began to bubble inside him as he grits his teeth. "You bastard! I'm going to kill-Gah!" he tried to attack the man, only to get zapped again.

"Enough!" the bald man yelled as he shocked the boy with the stun-stick.

"Enough of this pointless exposition into your, oh so tragic backstory, we wasted enough time here. We need to deal with this before backup arrives. Gaius, you owe us the intel we paid for and a body. We have two candidates here but we only need one. Which one do you want us to take?" he asked as Bruno's body slowly began to move and a small flick came from his wrist.

"Hmm…" he looked over the two.

"It would be a shame if the boy didn't make it back home, but I can't allow him or Bruno to inform the others of my little side dealings. Bruno is a veteran of the Wolves, so he may last longer than most. But this kid is supposedly the White Wolf. The same man who stopped the Sabretooth's at Riverdale." The bald man raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the kid and grabbed his chin.

"This kid is the White Wolf?" he observed the boy as he moved Jaune's head from side to side before letting him go. "Doesn't look that tough, and just because he has a pet wolf, doesn't mean he is the White Wolf. The White Wolf is supposed to have 'special powers', but this kid went down like a light. No…he wouldn't last one round." He let go of Jaune as Gaius sighed.

"Oh well, it looks like the boy will have to die, you can take Bruno. I never did like the guy, and as for the Wolf…" he looked at the glaring wolf pup. "I could use a new set of fur boots"

"…Got it" the man nodded as he drew a large sword.

"And make it look convincing. I can't have any of this tie back to me." The man nodded as his men held the boy down while the man held his sword over his head. Jaune continued to struggle all while focusing his fluctuating aura into crafting a knife to escape. But whatever drug they used on him made it difficult to focus.

The blade gleamed in the fading light as Jaune cursed his foolishness and now wished he had remained back at Shion.

Until the large man was tackled as Bruno snapped his bounds and stabbed the man in the shoulder with his hidden knife. "Kid, run! Get out of here!" Bruno yelled as he threw a knife nad cut Jaune's bonds, before punching the bald man in the face.

Jaune used this opportunity to elbow one of his captors in the crotch and grabbed his pistol, shooting at the bandits. The men took cover as Jaune fired at the men. He grabbed a dagger as slashed at Fenrir's bindings.

"Come on Fen!" he yelled as the wolf barked. Until a pain-filled scream tore his gaze towards Bruno as a grinning Gaius stood behind him with an electrified sword buried in his back. "BRUNO!" Jaune yelled as Gaius pushed the man off and his body smoked.

Before Jaune could do anything, he felt two bodies tackle him into the dirt and his arms bending behind his back.

"Fen! Get out of here!" he yelled as the wolf looked hesitant. "NOW!" he ordered with more force then he wanted as the wolf shakenly stepped back and ran. The bandits quickly firing after the wolf but missed as the pup disappeared into the shrubbery.

"Shit! We lost him!" Gaius cursed.

"Who cares? It's a dumb mutt, not like he can tell anyone anyway." He walked over to Bruno and placed a finger to his pulse before sighing.

"Besides, you just killed our agreement, Gaius. You shocked him too much and his heart gave out. Now we have to take the kid instead. Otherwise, you can explain to the boss why we couldn't meet our quota this month...or maybe you'd like to take his place instead and settle the bargain?" Gaius paled as he shook his head and wiped the blood off his blade.

"Fine, but we need to make this look like a random attack. His friends will be coming soon from Beacon, and I need to make them think he was attacked and dragged away by bandits…" he snapped his fingers. "Hand me his grandfather's rifle."

Jaune didn't like where this was going as the bandit handed Gaius his grandfather's rifle and inspected it. "It is a fine weapon; your grandfather would be honoured knowing you have this…" he gestured to one of the men whose gauntlets deployed long sharp claws.

"NO!"

His protest fell on death ears as the bandit sliced Merveilleuse to pieces. Jaunes eye's stared in disbelief as the pieces of his grandfather's weapon cluttered the ground before. His body growing numb and his mind blank as the weapon, the only other connection he had with his grandfather, was destroyed right before his eyes.

He looked back up to Gaius' grinning face before a blinding rage overcame him. He tried to lunge, claw, strike the man down for what he had done. But he could not move as he was held in place. He looked back to the man as he glared.

"You're going to pay for that! I swear to all the Gods above I will make you pay!" he hissed while the man merely grinned.

"That's funny because I just got paid." A bag of lien landed in his palm. "Nighty night, ' _White Wolf'_ …" he pointed to his left as Jaune turned his head. "Good luck in the pit!" stars of white flashed across his eyes as he was knocked out once again.

* * *

Hours Later - Location Uknown

* * *

Jaune groaned as he slowly tried to sit up. His head pounding like there was a jackhammer inside his head as he gingerly touched the bruise on his cheek. "Gah! Why does everyone keep hitting me in the face? Does my face offend people? …and I've been captured again, haven't I?" he looked around as he noticed he was in a large cell with big iron bars and dim lighting hanging from the ceiling.

"Yep…I've been captured…son of a bitch! Gah!" he kicked the wall and held his foot delicately.

After calming down he looked down as he noticed all of his gear was taken away, save for his clothes and boots. "Well, at least I'm not naked this time." He noticed a small glow on his chest, as he looked down to see a circular device digging into his flesh, where a hole was cut out of his shirt.

"Oh, what the hell is this?" he reached to touch it when a small shock when through his body. "Gah! Fuck!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Those things have quite a shock to them."

Jaune spun around as he noticed he was not alone in his cell. In the corner sat a man shrouded in shadow as the faint blue light from a similar device, that barely revealed his face.

"Finally awake, huh? Took you long enough. Was beginning to think you died on the way here. It relieves me to know that you're alive…though it pains me to know you're here."

"Who are you? And where the hell am I?" Jaune asked cautiously, unsure of identity or intent.

"Well, where you are is a place you're going to learn to hate very intimately. As for who I am…I've seen a lot of things in my life. I've seen the battlefields of death. I've seen the loss of countless lives, many of them were close to me. I've seen a fortress I was tasked with protecting thrive then fall. I smiled when I saw my son take his first steps into the world, and again when his children took their steps...I have seen much in this life. But the last thing I ever thought I'd see, would be you in a place like this…Now…"

His eyes widened as the man leaned forward from the shadows. "…Would mind explaining to me how you ended up here, Jaune?"

"…Grandpa?"

* * *

Omake: Pent-up

* * *

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away. The occupants of the Beacon team waited anxiously for the shuttle to arrive at Shion, where their long-lost friend Jaune Arc, waited for a long-overdue extraction and reunion. The mood a far cry from the depression that once hung over their heads, as for the first time in months, they were happy.

But also, very anxious.

"Can't this bucket of bolts go any faster!?" Nora yelled as she slammed her foot on the inner hull.

"Patience, Nora. The ship is going as fast as it can. It's not going to go any faster with you kicking it." Ren advised sagely, as his childhood friend merely pouted.

"I know…but come on! We're so close to getting fearless leader back! Don't you want to get there any quicker?" Ren nodded.

"I do. But some things take time, flying being one of them. It is just one of the inconvenience's we have to deal with in life…thought it does not mean I do not share your enthusiasm. I too wish to get Jaune as soon as we can." He said as she sighed and sat back down.

"None so more then Pyrrha, huh?" Yang asked as she looked over to said redhead, as her gaze was focused out the window while her foot continued to tap on the floor. "You know if you keep tapping the floor like that, you're going to bust a hole in the ship."

Pyrrha snapped out of her trance as she blushed slightly. "Sorry, I'm just so nervous. We're almost there and I keep having this bad feeling that something is going to happen. I just want to get there as soon as possible and get Jaune home."

"We know what you mean, Pyrrha," Weiss spoke as she sat next to Ruby. "We all want to get to Jaune as soon as possible. I know some of us are ready to just jump out of the hatch just to get there…" she said as she turned to glare at Ruby who whistled nonchalantly. "But we're only a few hours out. Then we'll see that dorky smile of his and everything will be all right."

Pyrrha smiled a little at this as she could already imagine that smile on his face.

"Still we must consider what mister Arc has been through," Oobleck spoke as pushed his glasses up. "He had been isolated from civilization for five months in a hostile area, accidentally infiltrated a White Fang facility filled with less-than-hospitable individuals and was involved in a bandit raid two-to-three days ago. Where in which he kidnapped afterwards by Miss Xiao Long's mother and supposedly got into a fight with the Clan's leader and won…"

"…When you say it all out loud, sounds like the kid has worse luck then I do."

"Point is, Mister Arc will have to undergo months of therapeutic sessions to combat any forms of Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder. What he has been through is more than what most students experience in their entire three years at Beacon. It would not be wise of him to become stressed out or harbouring pent up anxieties." Everyone nodded as they too worried about the boy's possible physiological damage…

Until Yang got a very dirty thought in her head and she couldn't help but grin.

"You're right Professor. Vomit boy has been through a lot, and he'll pent up with all kinds of stress." She cast her gaze to a confused looking Pyrrha as a shark-like grin appeared on her face. Blake instantly noticed as she narrowed her gaze on her partner.

"What are you up to yang?" said girl feigned ignorance as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing…I'm just saying that boy Jaune has been all alone out there for five months. With no friends, no family…no Dust net." She raised an eyebrow while Yang continued. "Not to mention he is a healthy adolescent that is still going through the phases of puberty, a lot of pent up emotions and feelings. In normal circumstance, a boy like him would find ways to… _release_ that pent-up stress." She looked over to Pyrrha's whose eyes widened slowly.

"I mean think about it. All alone…no female companionship whatsoever for hundreds of miles. He's bound to be pent up after so long. And the best way to release that pent up… _tension_ …Is with the help of an oh-so certain love-struck partner of his." She looked over and grinned. "How about it, P-Money? Once we find Jaune you going to help him release all that tension?"

Red blushes started appearing on many faces at the implications of the blond brawler.

"So, you going to take right there and then, drag him off to the closest bedroom and have your way with him? Have him plant his 'enchanted sword' in your 'cave of wonders?' heh?" Pyrrha's face began to blush brighter as less then…appropriate images came to her head.

"W-WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Wiess screeched with a face blood red.

"T-T-THAT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE AND VERY P-P-PERVERTED! AND IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN SISTER! Y-YOU HAVE A DIRTY MIND YANG XIAO LONG!" Ruby herself was blushing red and hiding her face in her hood.

"Oh relax, it's not like Pyrrha's going to skip around her feelings this time. He knows her feelings for her now. I figure a soon as she sets her eyes on him, she'll grab him by the collar, drag him to the closest bedroom and compete with Mrs Arc for the number of kids she can have." Pyrrha's voice released a small squeak as she and everyone remembered meeting Jaune's mother at the funeral, and their seven children.

"That still doesn't mean you can just blurt out whatever comes to your dirty mind!" Wiess screeched with a red face.

"Oh, come on, it's not like she hasn't been thinking about that? I mean I for crying out loud she fell in love with the guy on day one. I wouldn't be surprised if every night she had dreams involving the blond dork knight."

Pyrrha squeaked in embarrassment.

"Having his strong hands running all across her body…"

Her face going a deeper shade of scarlet than ever before as her eyes started swirling in her head. Blake wanted to stop her but failed, as she noticed a grey glow around Pyrrha's hand.

"Uh, Yang?"

"His warm breath tickling her neck as he whispers sweet words into her ear."

"Yang?"

"His eyes staring at every inch of her undressed body, screaming with lustful intent."

"Kya!" Pyrrha's entire cognitive function was going haywire as steam began to pour out of her head.

"Seriously, Yang."

"Their bodies pressed close together, the boundaries between man and woman blur, and all they would know is total bliss." Her voice laced with a sultry tone as she smirked at the flustered face of her friends. "Who knows, maybe our unbeatable champion of the Mistral Tournament…will become the champion of the bedroom sheets?" a sigh of exhaustion sounded from her uncle and the clear squawking of Wiess prudent beliefs echoed out as she grinned to herself.

She knew that she probably crossing a few lines with this little joke of hers, but it was better than being anxious the entire trip. And she was Yang Xiao Long, the master of the innuendo jokes. Ain't nothing going to stop that.

"Yang!" she felt a tap on her side as she turned to Blake.

"What?" her partner pointed as she followed her finger to a very red Pyrrha Nikos. Who's face as the colour crimson with small tears doting the edges of her eyes, and her cheeks puffed up as she had the face of utter embarrassment. It was only when she saw the slight glow of the girl's semblance did, she realise she probably went too far.

"…Uh oh…"

Exactly five seconds later a perfect impression of Yang's face could be seen on the outside hull of the ship, as the said mould for the impression was stuck face-first into the wall. An embarrassed and panting Pyrrha stood behind her with her fair covering her eyes, trying her best to calm her emotions, even though her face continued to glow red.

Everyone else was huddled together in the far back of the ship, as they were slightly afraid of the gladiatrix. Blake however just stared at her partner; whose face was currently buried in the wall as she shook her head.

"I tried to warn you. You really should learn to quit while you're ahead." She advised as Yang nodded, despite being buried in the wall.

"Yeah, I really should…" her muffled voice came from the wall.

"…But I know she ain't going to quit until she gets him into bed-!" she didn't finish as Pyrrha slammed her head further into the hull. Rocking the ship slightly and creating an even deeper imprint of the grinning blond brawler.

Qrow sighed as he undid his flask. "…God Damnit Yang."

* * *

 **And Scene. Well, here it is – finally – after so long. Chapter 12 of Legend of the White Wolf. Wow, that was a long chapter. But I know right now you are probably hating me for separating Jaune again. Probably even creating a few effigies to burn. But jokes on you, I ain't got no soul to burn! Hah! But in seriousness, I have my reasons for doing this.**

 **First. I always planned to get Jaune into an Arena type story. Kind of like Thor Ragnarök, because I love that movie. Second, it's crucial to the story I have planned and partly to reintroducing Jaune's grandfather into the story. Not to be confused with the Remnant Knight version that died. Same plot treads, but different outcomes. Third, it's part of my plan to increases his reputation and acts as a good stage for Salem's recruitment efforts.**

 **Relax, it will only take like two chapters. No more, no less and then it's back to his friends. I promise, got the whole thing planned out. Anywho, tell me what you think, hopefully without the anger of separating Jaune again, in a review below. And stay tuned for…**

 **Chapter XIII: Welcome to the Blood Pit**


	13. Chapter XIII: The Blood Pits

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N so I know everyone was pissed off about the last chapter, Jaune getting captured again and a lot of you are saying it has no purpose. But it did, meeting Jaune's grandfather is part of my plan to improve Jaune's skills as a huntsman and gaining closure on some family stuff, as well as utilizing more tactics spending a week in the Pit. But I hear what you're saying. Which is why I was spending the next (insert amount of time here) writing three chapters at the same time. Just so Jaune will be reunited with his friends and family.**

 **So, hope you enjoy the three-part special. That I spent (Insert the amount of pain stacking time here!) and hope to see more.**

* * *

Chapter XIII – The Blood Pits

* * *

Loud cheers echoed of a large arena, as two individuals stood toe-to-toe with each other. One was a beast of darkness with bone plating and wolf-like features, while the other was a young man armed with a chipped sword, a beat-up round shield and dented gladiatorial armour. The warrior's armour consisted of a pair of boots and black pants with a leather pteruges around his waist.

His right arm was completely covered in metal, with a small chest plate covering the right side of his chest leaving the rest of his chest bare, other than the crisscrossing leather straps holding it together, and a full covered helmet stylised into that of wolf's.

The beast roared as it lunged at the warrior, its claws striking against the metal shield as the warrior redirected the beast's anger. He stepped back and held his stance defensibly. He slashed his sword against its back as the beast howled in pain. The warrior raised his shield in defence as the Beowulf pounded its claws against the dented metal. The beast continuing to strike as it managed to bash the warrior's helmet.

The beast momentarily believes it had achieved victory…

Only for the warrior to slice its arm off and drive the blade under its jaw. In doing so snapped the sword in half and leaving it within its skull.

The beast released a pained filled before succumbing to its wound and falls to the blood-red sand. Black smoke evaporating into the air as the warrior breaths heavily with drops of blood rolling down his face. The sounds of cheering sound all around him as Jaune Arc looked up and glared with cold blues at the may jeering and drunken spectators.

But for this part to make sense, we must go back to two days ago when he awoke in the prison of the Blood Pit and reunited with his long-lost grandfather.

* * *

Two Days Ago – Blood Pit Prison

* * *

Jaune stated in muted shock as he gazed upon the man that as his grandfather. The man who was supposed to have died ten years ago. The man looking older than before, with his hair grown out to a long length and lighter than he last remembered. More scars littered his face and arms, and his form slightly thinner than he used to be.

"…Grandpa? I-is that…you're alive?" the man smiled softly as he stood up and walked over to him. Right before he chopped him on the head. "Gah! Son of a-!" he stopped rubbing his head and looked up to the slightly grinning man.

"That answer your question?"

Small tears began to form at the corner of his eyes before he latched onto the man, who eagerly returned the hug. "Grandpa! You're alive! I can't believe it! You're alive! Bahahaha!"

"Yeah, yeah I'm alive, but not for any longer if you keep squeezing me like this." He joked as Jaune broke the hug.

"Sorry, sorry, I just…h-how can this be? Everyone said you died ten years ago! How are you here, where are we?" Before he could talk, the sound of footsteps echoed around the corner as armed men marched down the corridor and stood before their cell.

"You're about to find out." The bald man that knocked Jaune out, placed his thumb on a panel on the cage, as a small beep chimed, and the doors opened. The armed men aimed their weapons at the residents of the cells.

"Listen up, the Ringmaster is about to speak." The man sneered as the armed men stepped aside to a rather well-dressed man, with fine cut hair and a fancy suit stood before them.

"Ah, hello everyone! That was a very good show out there, we sold out the house today! And only three of you got killed this week, not bad, not bad." The man spoke with a jovial tone as he clapped. "Of course, I will be expecting you all to put a little more effort into not dying until the third match. The fans hate it when one of you gets eaten within the first five seconds. It's boring." The man said with a wave of his hand.

"I've also been told we have some 'fresh meat' for the pits. Well then, consider this your orientation." He began searching around his pockets. "I know I had some que cards around here somewhere, ah! Here we go. Welcome recruits to the 'Blood Pits!' Anima's best-selling, and most popular, blood sport for the everyday bandit! Proudly supported by the Exchange Slavers Alliance!" He announced like he was giving an orientation to new employees.

"You are here to compete as 'Gladiators' for the entertainment of your betters. Here we will provide you with the best weapons and equipment you need to begin your exciting career as Blood Pit gladiator! …unless you die, then we throw you in the actual pit we have round back. So, try not to die! Now for those of you just joining us, you will have noticed those peculiar devices on your chests."

Jaune and the other newbies looked down to the devices stuck to their flesh.

"Those are specially designed, Atlas produced, Aura Regulators. They are designed to restraint and monitor your vitals at all times. To those of you that have Aura, they will completely limit how much aura you are allowed to have at any given time. And in case any of you get ideas to be a little disobedient …" he held up a remote.

"Let me persuade you against those ideas."

He pressed a button as all the new blood screamed in pain at the electrical shock that surged through their nervous system, falling to their knees as their bodies convulsed in pain.

"They deliver quite the shock." He let go as everyone panted and groaned in pain.

"Now, I do hope this will dissuade you from attempting any forms of escape or rebellion. Each one of my guards is armed with a remote that will activate your regulator at any given moment. And I will admit…they sometimes activate them for fun."

The guards grinned as everyone looked afraid, except for those that had been here the longest, and Jaune as his mind ran a mile a minute.

"Now, here are the rules of the Arena. If a guard escorts you out of the cell, you will comply with his orders and head off to the armoury to gear up. Each one of you will be then led into the arena and given three matches. If you can survive three rounds with the Grimm, we will escort you back to your cells. If you fail…well, I don't have to explain what happens then. But survive, and there will be a fresh bowl of gruel and maybe a warm blanket back in your cell if you're lucky. But as I said before, please try to survive more than one round. We can't make any money if you're dead. So, enjoy your accommodations and see you in the arena!"

The man shortly left as Jaune fell back down against the wall. His grandfather placing a concerned hand upon the boy's shoulder. "You okay?" he nodded as he looked around.

"I'm fine…but what the hell kind of place is this?" he asked.

"This place used to be an ancient gladiatorial arena that was once used by the Ancient of Kingdoms. During the Great War, it was used to torture prisoners until the war ended and the Warrior King of Vale outlawed slavery. This was supposed to be shut down. But after his death, Slavers took it over and continued the blood sport. Here they capture anyone that will fight in the ring, soldiers, farmers, Faunus, even fellow bandits and pit them against the Grimm."

"They said they have Grimm here. I thought Grimm can't be captured. Then again, Professor Port had one locked in a cage." Remembering back to his first-class with the portly man.

"Correct. It's not impossible to capture a Grimm, but it is very difficult. But this placed was designed to funnel and lure Grimm in through a tunnel they have. Sometimes they get lucky and a Hunter captures a rare Grimm to fight in the arena. Other times, they get us to fight average Grimm that come up through the tunnel. It doesn't help that they're attracted to our fears and their twisted pleasure." He looked around at the other cells as more men and woman dressed in gladiatorial robes and glowing devices stuck to their chests.

"Who the hell enjoys stuff like this?"

"Sick people, Jaune. Corrupt officials, businessmen, bandit tribes, slavers. Anyone that has money to bet on our lives. Whether we win or lose, they profit from it." Jaune felt anger at this blood sport and anger at the people that were profiting from it.

"Well, that's just great. But how did you end up here? Everyone assumed you died ten years ago." he asked as the man sighed and palmed his face.

"In short, I was betrayed. I was careless during the evacuation mission of Amber Town, one of my teammates betrayed. A scumbag by the name of Gaius Longinus got the better of me and left me for dead."

"Gaius? That's the same bastard that got me locked up!" Jaune's anger returned as he remembered the bastard that knocked him out and destroyed his grandfather's weapon.

"He did it to you too? Figures." He tightened his fists. "If I ever see that punk again, I'm going to make him pay for everything he's done to me!" he growled as Jaune felt the same.

"But why did he betray you? I know the guy is crook, but weren't you his commanding officer, what could've he has possibly gained from betraying you?"

"I'd been running an investigation on him for a while, after noticing a string of bandit attacks that always seemed to occur after his missions. I was getting close to exposing him, and he must've figured out I was on to him. But then we had an emergency search and destroy mission with Beacon while also evacuating Amber Town. I wouldn't have brought him along, but at the time we were stretched thin. Reluctantly I had to take him with me."

His gaze hardened as he thought back to that day.

"When we got separated from the main group, that's when he betrayed me. He sprayed some kind of… _gas_ on me, my aura couldn't defend from it. Luckily, I managed to avoid most of the toxin. But by then I was too weak to do anything, and he left me for dead." He ran a hand through his beard.

"By all accounts, I should've died. But I managed to hold them off and get myself away, hoping to make it back and expose that little shit. But then I ran across these slavers, the same guys that work in this place, and they locked me up in here. I've been here for ten years now…ten years of non-stop fighting." Jaune looked down as the man sat next to him.

"I'm sorry grandpa, it must've been hard." He looked over as he shook his head.

"It was…but all I could think of is how stupid I was for bringing him along. How I should've just kicked him out the moment the irregularities started appearing. But I didn't, and I missed out on ten years with my family. Ten years I could've spent watching you grow up or helping you become a huntsman…but I failed and I'm sorry." Jaune shook his head as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault grandpa…I'm just happy to see you again." The old man smiled as he felt his heart warm a little after so long.

"So, I'm guessing you have an escape plan?" he asked as the older man sighed.

"No, honestly do not. I've been stuck in here for ten years and pretty much mapped out every possible escape route I can think of. But I still can't find a way around that damn lock." Jaune looked to the gate and the advance looking lock.

"It's one of those Atlas Series Aura and Fingerprint locks. It uses a combination of fingerprint and aura signature identification. Fingerprints are easy to get a hold of, but another person's aura, that's pretty much impossible."

Jaune got up and looked at the lock.

"These things are issued by the Atlas Military who've been doing advanced research into Aura ever since it was discovered. I don't know how these slavers managed to get a hold of them, I can only assume they have someone in the military that supplies them with this stuff. I would've used my semblance to break open the gate but these damn devices on hour chests monitor our aura levels. As soon as I try to power my Semblance, bam, I'm locked up and shut up."

He sighed as he leaned back on the wall.

"I've pretty much given up on trying to bust out of here. Unless you know of a way to replicate another man's fingerprints and aura signature, we'll be stuck here till judgement day." Jaune narrowed his eyes as he looked at his hand and powered his semblance. Noticing no shock.

"Hmm..." he hummed to himself as he began to ponder.

But his pondering was short-lived however as the guards came back, especially the big bald one. "All right newbies, it's initiation time! Get up!" he ordered as the cells opened and they started dragging the new arrivals. Those that resisted were given the shock as they dragged them out.

The guards grabbed Jaune as he tried to fight back, "Get your hands off me!" he yelled as he tried to fight back. Cornelius shot up as he tried to fight them.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE-GAH!" Cornelius yelled as he tried to stop them. But the device on his chest caused him pain if not then getting punched down by the guards didn't help, and he had to watch helplessly as they dragged his grandson away.

"JAUNE! WHATEVER HAPPENS, JUST STAY ALIVE!" he yelled as Jaune was dragged away.

Jaune and the other seven prisoners were dragged along a long corridor as the sounds of a cheering crowd could be faintly heard all around them and growing louder as they went further in. But while the prisoners were scared out of their minds, Jaune was diligently observing his surroundings. His many months in the forest trained him to observe his surroundings and note anything of importance.

Such as the sounds of a grindstone and the faint chatter of static that came from a room they passed.

Soon they were taken to a large circular room with several long chains attached to the floor. The guards forced them to their knees as they attached chains to their wrists. From what Jaune could tell they were at least several feet in length. Not enough to escape, but enough so that they were bundled up together.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING!? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US!?" one of the prisoners asked in fear as he was chained to the floor. The guard merely grinned as they stepped off, what Jaune now realised, was a large platform.

"Your Initiation."

The floor began to rise as Jaune, and the prisoners looked up to the ceiling that began to open up. A bright light shined from above as they ascended into a large arena full of red-stained sand, and bright stage lights.

"WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO THE BLOOD PIT!"

A loud eccentric voice sounded over the speakers as a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Jaune looked around at the many bandits, businessmen and what he could assume were slavers. The platform stooped as they were now in the centre of the large arena.

"AS PER USUAL, WE START OUR SHOW WITH INITIATION! THESE NEW 'RECRUITS' WILL BE TESTED IN THE RING WHILE CHAINED TO THE FLOOR! IF THEY CAN SURVIVE AGAINST WHATEVER WE SEND OUT, THEY WILL BECOME GLADIATORS FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT! IF NOT…WELL, WE'LL STILL HAVE A GREAT SHOW!"

The crowd cheered as Jaune glared while pulling at his chain. Testing to see if he could use his aura to break them, construct a weapon, or his semblance to enhance his strength. But the device on his chest restricted his aura and he felt like he was wading through quicksand.

"What are we going to do!? What are we going to do!? I don't want to die here!" one of his fellow prisoners screamed as he desperately pulled on his chain.

"You're not going to die! Just stay calm and focus!" Jaune ordered as he looked at the doors to the arena. "Look if we play it smart, we can survive this, but you need to stay calm. Whatever they're going to send out will only get stronger from your fear."

"Oh, what do you know!? You're just a kid!"

"A Kid who knows how to keep calm! Just stay focus and do what I say!" a roar snapped their attention back to the doors as the metal rattled. "Because I think our first fight is about to begin." The heavy doors rattled as the announcer began to speak.

"NOW EVERYONE! LET'S SEE IF THESE NEWBIES CAN HANDLE THEIR FIRST FIGHT AGAINST THE GRIMM WITHOUT ANY WEAPONS, LIKE OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS! HERE COMES THEIR FIRST CHALLENGER, THE BEOWOLF – BRUTUS!"

The metal doors opened as a large, heavily scarred, Beowulf came bounding out. Its bone plating was large with many scratches and scars littering the bone. Large claws and spikes grew out of its body as it was clear that this beast was older than most of the Grimm he had faced before. What instantly caught his attention was the fact that its body was thinner than most and more ravenous than most Grimm.

He had heard that Grimm in captivity tended to starve themselves for some reason. this one looked particularly extra hungry, which was saying a lot...

"ALL RIGHT, BOY! CHOW TIME!"

'Brutus' roared as it came bounding towards the seven.

"Move!" Jaune yelled as he and the others narrowly avoided its grasp, the chains making it no easy feat as any distance further than seven meters resulted in their chains going taunt. "just keep moving! Don't let it get you!" he yelled as they tried to avoid it.

Up in the VIP box, a large assortment of men and woman in expensive-looking clothing watched down below as the Beowolf continued to pounce upon the chained individuals. The Ringmaster entered as he took his seat in a rather luxurious couch.

"So, Ivan, what do you think of our new initiates, any of them gladiatorial material?" the ringmaster asked the man named Ivan as he crossed his arms.

"Honestly, Lord August, I think this batch is just dog chow if you ask me. None of them appears even remotely capable of handling an all-out fight with the Grimm." Ivan recommended as the well-dressed man, now known as August, nodded as he looked at the scurrying prisoners.

"Ah, such a shame, and I had high hopes for some worthy entertainment." He lamented as he reclined in his throne. "Are you sure there is none among them that is even remotely noteworthy to draw in the crowds?"

"Well, according to that little rat, Gaius, the blond one is supposed to be The _White Wolf._ You know, the man that beat Victor and his Sabretooth's?" August blinked as he looked at the men.

"The White Wolf you say? Interesting, anything else?"

"While we were taking him away, Cornelius put up a fight, saying he wasn't going to let us throw him into the pit."

"Really? Cornelius hasn't put up a fight for a while, he gave up on the others long ago. What made the boy so special?"

"I think I heard him say the kid was his grandson."

"Ah, so the boy is an Arc…and Arc and the White Wolf, an interesting combination. I remember hearing the prowess of the Arcs, especially after watching Cornelius fight. He must be quite the warrior then?" August suspected as Ivan scoffed.

"Please, the Arcs stopped being Warriors after they lost Kaer Arc over Thirty years ago. The last warriors they had was the old man and his brat, who couldn't handle it anymore and quit. This kid just got in over his head and has a death wish. You ask me, I reckon he's going to get eaten alive out there."

"Ah, we shall see, old friend. We shall see…now, where is my popcorn?"

Down in the arena, the prisoners continued to evade the Grimm, who was unable to catch them due to its malnourished state. But while the beast as malnourished, its prey would get weary. This Jaune knew all too well. He ducked and dodged and weaved his way around the beast, careful not to get his chain caught up by the others. This was made apparent when one got snagged by another's and the beast lunged at the one with the shortest.

"AHHHHHH!" the man screamed as he was ripped to shreds by the Beast. Blood spilling everywhere and mixing with the sand as it earned the name Blood Pit.

From his cell window, Cornelius could only watch in fear and anger as his grandson was put through the gruelling 'initiation' test that the guards and the ringmaster loved to flaunt. It was a test to see who would be more likely to survive the next round by pitting them against a single Grimm unarmed.

The last person standing would be considered 'worthy' and saved from the Grimm before it could eat them. That is if the guards would be bothered to hit the beast in time.

His hands gripped the bars until his knuckles turned white as his anger near radiated off him. "Damn it! Jaune! Just stay alive! Please, just stay alive! Use the ch-!" he called out only to be drowned out by the crowd of the arena. His hatred for them growing evermore as he vowed to get them back if anything happened to his only grandson.

The rest of the prisoners stared in horror as their fellow captive was eaten alive. "We're going to fucking die!" one yelled as he watched the man get eaten.

Jaune cursed as he looked around for anything that he could use as a weapon, either to kill the beast or break his chains. But nothing could be seen except sand and blood. Suddenly the disembodied hand of the prisoner, with the chain still attached, landed before his feet as he looked at the chain and then at the Grimm.

A plan suddenly forming in his mind as he smirked and gripped his chain.

The Grimm growled as its stuffed itself with the man. Its jaws and dripping with blood that had been denied for so long. Meat slowly filling its stomach and replenishing its lost strength. Now it could focus on the others, now it could destroy. 'Brutus' growled as it turned towards the second fallen man as he looked up in fear of the creature. His fear feeding and sustaining the creature as the Grimm prepared to lunge.

When suddenly, it felt the cold steel around its neck and the air cut off from its lungs.

Every eye in the stadium widened as Jaune Arc grabbed the chain from the fallen prisoner and wrapped it around the beast's neck. The chain lassoed and tightened as he had both feet on the creatures back and both arms pulling with everything he had. The beast roared and thrashed as it tried to knock the boy off, but he refused to let go.

"HEY! WRAP YOUR CHAINS AROUND ITS ARMS!" he ordered as they stared in confusion before he growled at them "DO IT!" Jaune yelled, as he snapped them out of their stupor and did as he said.

The chains that held them down now held the beast's arms as they pulled with all their might. Jaune continued to pull with all his might as the chain dug deeper into the monster's flesh until his hands nearly bled. The monsters roaring as the chains wrapped tighter and tighter as the air slowly left its body.

Jaune pulling with all his might as he summoned what aura he had command of to enhance his strength.

The crowd could only roar in amusement while Cornelius gripped the bars tighter watching with a growing sense of hope. "YES! DO IT!" he yelled as those in his cell cheered.

Jaune screamed as he pulled tighter and the beast roared. His arms began to glow with his semblance as it slowly spread towards the chain, and the beast roared in absolute pain. Blood leaking from his palms as he dug his foot deeper into the beats back. And with a final pull, the chains tore through the beats neck as its head flew through the air.

Jaune landed on his back as the body slumped onto the ground, its head rolling forward until it stopped just shy of the centre ring.

The crowd had been silent as they stared at the sudden events before they cheered with a thunderous roar. From the prison cells, the prisoners cheered as Cornelis released a sigh of relief before a hearty laugh.

"Yes!" he exclaimed with excitement.

Up in the box the VIP guests merely stared in awe as they began to murmur amongst themselves. Some of them angry that the money just lost or being proven wrong such as Ivan. While others were slightly richer and curiously intrigued about the young man that managed to kill a Grimm with nothing but chain. While others, like the Ringmaster, saw potential in the young man.

"Quite impressive. No one has been able to kill a Grimm in initiation since Cornelius was brought in ten years ago. But when he accomplished it, only two of them survived. This one managed to save five of them. Impressive." August praised while Ivan growled.

"He got lucky, that's all"

"It matters not, but now we know which one of them has the potential to be our gladiator, as for the others…" he grinned as he gestured to the announcer.

"WELL, THIS IN UNEXPECTED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS, WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE SURVIVOR FROM THE IMITATION!"

Jaune sighed in relief as he and the others managed to survive the first hurdle.

"UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A SMALL _PROBLEM_!"

His eyes snapped open as he looked straight to the announcer box.

"THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE GLADIATOR! SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ONE THAT SLEW THE GRIMM! AS FOR THE OTHERS…NOBODY LIKES FREELOADERS!"

A small beeping started to resonate on the device as the prisoners looked down to their chests. Fear plastered on their faces before they instantly were electrocuted as their screams echoed out.

"NO!" Jaune yelled as he made a mad dash to stop it.

But his device activated as well and forced his body to lock up. He fell to the ground as he could only watch helplessly as the six other men that fought by his side were electrocuted to death. Their screams burning into his memory as they collapsed to the floor in smoking piles, one by one.

One managed to look over his way as Jaune could see his eyes begging for help. He tried to reach out, but his body refused to move, then grew numb as the last of the prisoners screaming died out.

That image would be forever burned into his memory as Jaune stared numbly then screamed in rage before he was grabbed by the guards.

"Well, looks like that's the end of that. Bring the boy to me, I wish to get a better look at our latest gladiator.'' August stood up as he made his way to the door but paused as he stood in the doorway. "I have to admit, he was a lot more entertaining than we expected. He may be our best attraction yet."

Ivan just glared as he looked back down to the arena and the boy that lay unconscious on the blood-red sand.

Jaune felt his feet drag across the floor at he was led down the dark passage, his eyes still blurry and his body still in shock as witnessed several men die right before him while he could do nothing but watch. He heard a small humming coming from above him as he managed to crane his neck up and saw several pipes that stretched across the ceiling. But he could not question any further as he was dragged into a larger room.

His hands and feet chained to the floor again as he was forced into a kneeling position.

Ivan glared down at the boy before he moved aside, Jaune for a moment spied his hand-crafted knife on his belt, before the Ringmaster appeared through the doorway.

"Ah! And here he is! Our main attraction!" August praised as he entered the room.

"I must admit, we had a lot of people rooting against you and the others to survive. But wouldn't you know, you managed to kill the Grimm and save your fellow prisoners! …until we decided to hit the button."

Jaune merely glared as the shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, come on now. We were doing them a favour. Death is much more preferable then what you're going to have to face in the ring." Jaune merely glared as he felt the rage boiling in his blood.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. It's all just part of the circle of life, the survival of the fittest, the…I don't know, something else philosophical. Anyway! You should be proud! You're the first person that's ever taken the initiation and came out with more than three of your fellow initiates. Your grandfather made it through with at least two when he participated, but he was still injured when we brought him in. What do you expect from an old-timer? and a surprisingly young-looking one at that." Jaune continued to glare as the man sighed.

"Glaring is not going to change your situation young man. Keep it up and that pretty little face of yours is going to get all wrinkly by the time you reach thirty…if you live that long." He grabbed the boy by the chin as he inspected him.

"Hm…not much of a looker, are you? Rather plain, blond, blue-eyed, very common, not many distinguishing features. A couple of scars, but I've worked with worse. But you've already made a bit of a reputation for yourself, that I can work with. Of course, the hair has got to go, my patrons want to see who they're betting against after all." He clicked his fingers.

"Take him to the 'barber' and then back to his cell. He has another event tomorrow and I want him to be my main attraction. See if you can't scrounge up anything wolf-like by then. People will pay a lot of money to see the 'White Wolf' in action. Might as well dress him for the part."

Jaune was forced onto his feet as he was dragged away with no power to fight back whatsoever.

"And make sure it looks good! I do not want to see him going out there with something stupid like a Mohawk or something!" he yelled out before the doors closed shut. Jaune's eyes burning with rage as he vowed that day, he would make that man pay for what he did.

And that was a promise.

* * *

Present Day – The Blood Pits

* * *

Back in the present time, Jaune slipped off his battered helmet as his new haircut allowed the cool breeze to blow through his short hair. The feeling of shorter hair made it oddly refreshing on his head as he sported, against his choice, a short haircut around the sides and slightly spikier on the top. The blood from his forehead leaking down his right eye as if decorating his face with war paint.

But the haircut was the least of Jaune's worries.

Because right now he had only won his second match, with barley enough control over his aura to heal his wounds and he needs one more win to get back to his cell. But the state of his weapons was pitiful. The weapons they handed him were chipped, bent or sometimes even downright broken. It seemed as though they only gave out cheap and easily replaceable weapons, either as to give the gladiators a challenge or just to make it easier for them to lose.

"Makes it harder…but not impossible," Jaune muttered to himself as he gripped the half-broken sword in his hand.

" _HE'S DONE IT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE WHITE WOLF HAS WON ANOTHER BATTLE! HIS SECOND VICTORY OF THE DAY! CAN HE KEEP THIS UP AND EARN HIS REST!? OR WILL HE PERISH LIKE ALL THE OTHERS?! LET'S FIND OUT! BRING OUT…THE CALYDONIAN BOARBATUSK!"_

Heavy chains sounded out as Jaune turned to the gates and a massive Boarbatusk with older bone plating and longer horns squealed before rolling in a ball and blasting towards the young warrior.

"And now this!" Jaune cursed as he jumped out of its path, the red sands kicking up as the beast slammed into the wall, before turning and rolling again. From the barred window, his grandfather watched anxiously as his grandson fought the beast.

"Come on, Jaune. Keep your feet light, anticipate its movements. Wait for the right moment." He gripped the bars, as fear resonated in his soul for the life of his grandson.

The beast's form becoming a blur as it zipped and weaved its way around the arena. Jaune held his shield up defensively as he tried to anticipate where the beast was going to strike. Red sand kicking high into the air as the beasts increased its speed, rolling straight towards him. He held fast as managed to avoid the beast, only for the beast to quickly turn around and sped straight towards him.

With barely enough time to guard himself, he held up the shield as the beast struck the dented metal.

The shield exploding into tiny metal fragments as he was thrown across the arena and rolled on the ground. Blood escaped his lips as he slowly got back up and gingerly held his ribs.

"Shit! That hurts!" the broken remains of his shield fell off his arm as he looked back to see the Boarbatusk squeal and spin rapidly in its place as if to build up momentum.

"Jaune! You have to move!" he barely heard the sound of his grandfather's advice over the roar of the crowd as his eyes scanned for anything he could use. before his eyes settled on a large square shield left behind by the last combatant. A calculative look appeared in his eyes as he looked up to the electrified barrier that kept the Grimm from marching into the stands.

A small grin formed on his face as he prepared himself.

The beast shot forward as the young Arc sprinted and dove for the shield. He lifted the heavy shield and poured what power he could into his semblance as he locked himself in place. A little technique had been working on ever since he escaped the avalanche weeks ago. Just as the beat rocketed towards him.

But the angle in which Jaune had the shield, the increased strength and durability of his amplified aura, and the direction he held the shield made for an improvised ramp as the beast shot off and flew straight towards the barrier.

" **SQUEEEEEEE!"**

The elder Boarbatusk squealed out in pain as the electrified barrier roasted the large beast-like wood on a flame. The stadium's lights shortly flickering as the massive beast continued to spasm and thrash before exploding off the barrier and straight into the centre of the arena. Its fur singed, its flesh smoking and black dust seeping from its open wounds.

Jaune moved over towards the burnt beast and stood over the whining beast. He stared into its dying eyes as he held the broken blade high before plunging it into the beast's neck. The last death squeal escaping the beats throat before it perished and evaporated into black specks of dust. The crowd was silent before they roared in applause.

" _AND HE'S DONE IT! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HE'S WON AGAINST THE CALYDONIAN BOARBATUSK! WHAT A SPECTACULAR FIGHT! ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE WHITE WOLF!"_

The crowd cheered louder as their stadium echoed with their thunderous applause. Up in the VIP box, August grinned as he clapped his hands excitedly. "Bravo! Bravo! What a display!" he cheered as he stood up. "I must say, he is living up to his title, wouldn't you agree?" he asked the man next to him as Ivan merely glared.

"I still say he's getting lucky. If he didn't have that shield from the last fight, that Boarbatusk would've flattened him good."

"Be that as it may, he still beat the darn thing and made us a lot of money. A lot of fellow bandits here want to see the 'White Wolf' fall after all. He did take out the Sabretooth's after all, and you know they still haven't fully recovered from that fiasco. Seeing him fall would make for a ton of lien." He got up and patted himself off. "Now, let's go and check on my investment!"

Ivan merely glared as he watched the boy be 'escorted' out of the arena. The boy's eyes glaring up at the VIP box, as he could've sworn something was going on behind those eyes of his. Something he just did not like.

The cell doors opened as Jaune was roughly shoved into his cell. he glared up as the guards walked away but paid them no mind as a rag was dropped near him. "You okay there Jaune? That looks pretty bad," his grandfather asked as he motioned to the blood on his face.

"It looks worse than it is. If I didn't have this stupid thing on my chest it would heal up in a flash." He fiddled with the device before it zapped him. "Gah! Stupid piece of!" he stopped and sighed to calm himself.

"You'd think you'd learn by now." A rather arrogant voice spoke as Jaune looked up to see August smirking at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked with an agitated voice.

"Now, now, that's no way to treat your elders. Besides, I didn't come down here to this…ugh, place." He said with a modicum of disgust as a rat ran past him.

"I came here to congratulate and you and thank you for the show you put on out there. Tonight, was our biggest seller. So many people betted on you to go down, but you managed to be a _Calydonian Boarbatusk,_ not an easy feat I remind you. And we did go through a lot of effort to capture one…" he sighed.

"But it matters little. So long as you keep the crowds entertained and keep bringing me lien, your stay here will be enjoyable. Until of course you can't, and the crowds lose interest and then well…" he shrugged. "I can't be held responsible, favourite or not." He smirked as he turned to walk away. "So, you might as well get comfortable, because you're going to be here for a very long time!" he called out with his usual cheerful tone and walked away.

"…I am going to get out of here."

They paused as they looked back to the cage and the young man who slowly stood up. "I am going to get out of this place." He walked forward as a wave of killing intent rolled off his body.

"I am going to get free of this hell hole." He started walking towards the bars.

"I am going to break these chains" he slammed his hands to the bars as they resonated loudly and startled the men. "And when I do, I'm going to burn this entire fucking place to the ground…and then…I'm taking you down!" he glared as for a moment they stared into the eyes of death itself.

August stared before he recomposed himself. "I doubt that." He walked away while Jaune continued to burn a hole into the man's head. The doors sealed shut as Jaune glared through the grate and gripped the bars tight.

"That was uh…pretty inspirational and all Jaune, but do you have a plan to get out of here?" his grandfather as Jaune turned around and grinned.

"Of course, I do, Grandpa. Why else would I threaten him?"

* * *

Shion Village

* * *

The Shuttle touched down as eager face quickly unloaded themselves off the vessel. "Finely! I thought we'd never got off that thing!" Yang exclaimed as she stretched her back.

"I know right! It felt more like months, then four hours!" Nora agreed as she too stretched the kinks in her back.

"It wasn't that long, Nora," Ren said with his usual monotone voice, being the voice of reason.

"Still doesn't excuse the wait, huh?"

"…Maybe. But the pilot was just doing his best. Can't expect him to rush everything, no matter how much people continued to bug him." Ren looked straight forward as if peering into some unknown veil and those that existed beyond it. When in actuality he was staring at Pyrrha who was blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry. I just want to get to Jaune as soon as possible. But that doesn't matter, we're here now and we can finally get Jaune out of here"

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Weiss asked as she looked around the settlement that was somewhat fascinated by the new arrivals. "We radioed ahead to let them know we'd be here. You'd think he'd be here to welcome us home."

"I was half expecting a whole slow-motion scene with Jaune and Pyrrha rushing into each other's arms," Yang said as Pyrrha blushed slightly as that was what she fantasised about as well. "And you know, dragging him to the closest bedroom she can find." She grinned before shivering at the dark look from the girl.

"DO you want a repeat of earlier?" everyone looked to the Yang shaped dent in the hull as the party girl shook her head rapidly.

"N-No, I'm good. But seriously, we're here and there's no vomit boy whatsoever, what the chizz?"

Before they could question anything else, they saw Griswald and his men approaching them. A happy smile grew on Pyrrha's face before it slowly morphed into a numb expression as they held looks of sorrow and remorse. This could only tell them one thing.

"… _ **OH, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!"**_

* * *

Omake: So…How's the Escape Plan Coming?

* * *

The cells of the Blood pit echoed with a slight thud as the occasional water droplet hit the floor. Thud! Thud! Thud! The other prisoners staring in confusion and concern as everyone was looking at a rather bizarre scene before them.

"Uh, Cornelius? Is your grandson okay? He's been doing that for like…an hour now." One of the prisoners asked as the boy was repeatedly thumping his head against the stone wall. A small mark being left as he just repeatedly bumped his head into the wall.

"Of course, he is…I think?" he sounded uncertain himself as even he wasn't sure the boy was a hundred per cent all right. He walked over as he held an apple in his hand. "You okay there?" He asked as the boy continued to bump his head into the wall.

"…How's the escape plan coming?"

The boy momentarily stopped as he turned around. "Wait…Alright wait, I'm getting something!" he started, staring blankly into the abyss before he turned around and started bumping his head again.

"Okay Jaune you need to stop doing that, it's not good for your head. _No matter how hard Arc Skulls are supposed to be_." He muttered the last part as the boy shook his head.

"I'm fine, this helps for some reason." He said in between his light collisions with the wall. "I did this a lot while I was stuck in the forest and I got out just fine."

"Oh, okay…wait how long did you do that for?"

Jaune paused as his mind flashed back to the cave in the Black Forest and the near-perfect indentation of his face in the stone wall.

"…I'd…rather not say." His head thumping against the wall as the old man stared in concern of the possible mental state of his grandson.

"Sometimes I worry about you Jaune."

"I worry about me too."

* * *

 **And Scene. Sorry for the wait, been real busy trying to write three chapters in one sitting. Not been easy, if you are reading this, then it means I succeeded and wrote three chapters and posted them at once. Relax, I'm not dead, just exhausted. It's my way to make up for separating Jaune again. Also, need someone well versed in the Star Wars Lore to help with a project for either a Star Wars Rebel Story or RWBY/Star Wars story. PM me for more details.**

 **Also, funny enough, I had already planned on giving Jaune a Haircut before the new images came out. And I get that a lot of people don't like it. But I think it's the angle they presented to us. That's all, we haven't seen the other sides. It's a face forward and we don't have much to look at on the sides. I'm giving it a chance.**

 **But in the next chapter, all lines begin to converge, allies rally, enemies loom and lies are broken. In the next exciting chapter of the Legend of the White Wolf.**

 **Chapter XIV: Break the Chains**


	14. Chapter XIV: Break the Chains

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **AN – Its been a while so I'd thought I'd just make a Recap of Jaune's Aura Powers:**

 **Current Powers:**

 **Soul Sabre – A sword of Aura, comes in two forms: Proto-Sabre and Enhanced Form when Semblance is applied.**

 **Soul Shard – Dagger version.**

 **Armament – coating a limb in aura as a basic weapon to impale his enemies. A standard technique for Huntsman weaponry, Jaune applies it to his limb instead.**

 **Sentinel – A circular shield made of light that can deflect and absorb attacks. (Based off Pyrrha's shield).**

 **Aura Shot – a concreated energy blast of aura.**

 **Pulse – A pulse of aura that is standard.**

 **Wolf Claws – a set of Gauntlet and Greaves that form around Jaune's limbs that increase strength and agility. Can also be combined with Soul Sabre to create bladed versions.**

 **Eagles Bow – A bow of Aura that has near unstoppable penetration and range.**

 **Wolves Howitzer – creates a powerful blast of aura that rockets a man far across the field and leaves a set of fang marks upon the victim. Causes massive internal damage to the victim.**

* * *

Chapter XIV – Break the Chains

* * *

The Rain poured heavily in the city of Mistral. The dirt roads slowly turning into mud and filth as everyone on the streets huddled inside for warmth and shelter. But one individual walked alone in the pouring rain as she pulled her hood further over her head. Her amber eyes searching the streets for her destination as she spotted a small emblem of a spider laying in the web.

She quickly moved inside as she soon entered a small bar with many patrons eating and drinking.

The woman looked around cautiously as she moved her way through the bar. She felt many eyes on her, spotting many of the customers with small tattoos of a spider and its web.

She made her way to the end of the bar of as she stood before a rather heavy-set middle-aged woman with light skin and short blonde hair kept in a bob haircut, a beauty mark under her right eye, lipstick on her upper lip and purple nail polish on her fingernails.

The most notable thing about her was the spider-web tattoo that was on her left shoulder.

"That's far enough."

The woman spoke as the hooded woman stopped in her track. She looked up from her food as the hooded woman tossed a large bag of lien in front of her. She glances back and gestured her to sit down, as the woman sits down and pulled off her hood to reveal the face of Cinder Fall. Once one of Salem's top agents now disgraced and cast out of her domain until she could redeem her failure.

It had been almost a week since she had been sent out into the world with nothing but the clothes on her back, her old weapons and what money she had left – now that Salem was no longer financing her. She had spent the last week scouring the world and underworld denizens for the cause of her failure while avoiding local authorities since was wanted by every other Kingdom in the entire world.

Ozpin managed to use her 'Mistral Student ID' to post her image all across the world and marked her as a target for bounty hunters. She had to steal what she could lie where she needed and killed whoever discovered her identity. But this only fuelled her drive to get back within her good graces and bring vengeance upon the one that sabotaged her mission.

"You're Lil' Miss Malachite? The infamous shadow broker of the Spiders?" she asked as the woman nodded.

"That is my name. but my name can also be, 'Lil' Miss Gon'-Skin-You-Alive if you ever take that tone with me again'. So, I would advise you to stow your attitude until the end of the conversation. Otherwise…" gestured around to the many men and woman with spider-like tattoos.

"You're going to find yourself in a very difficult situation." Cinder glared but nodded all the same.

"Thank you," she looked down that the wallet. "Nice wallet, looks like your entire life savings."

"It was somebodies." Malachite chuckled as she fanned herself.

"Cute. Now, what can I do for you, sugar?"

"I need information, anything about a White Fang Installation that was attacked a week ago in Sanus. I need the identity of the one who attacked it, my investigations led me to believe it was the same individual that saved the town of Riverdale. Can you find him?" she asked as Malachite hefted the wallet and weighed the contents.

"That kind of information won't be easy. Riverdale was quite a little while ago, tracking someone from a Grimm ravaged location will not be easy. Not mention there's been a lot of infighting in the White Fang since evidence of their supposed 'Idol' was seen affiliating with a human. This person you're seeking is being sought after by Adam Taurus. Wants to get revenge on the man that ruined his invasion and sullied his image with the White Fang."

"Can you find him?" Cinder asked, careful not to overstep her bounds while Lil' Malachite pondered this as she eyed the woman.

"We can…but it will take some time. I'd say maybe… _three days_. Give us three days and we'll find this person you're seeking. And don't try to demand us to hurry along. We aren't a group you want to mess with."

Cinder nodded as she stood up and drew her hood over her head, before leaving the bar. Once they were certain she was out of earshot, one of her compatriots leaned to her ear.

"I don't understand mistress, we already know where the White Wolf is. Why didn't we give her the intel like we were asked?" her guard asked as she smirked

"Because we were paid, exclusively, not to give her any useful information. That's not to say we won't give her the intel; we just won't give it to her right away. That Scorpion fellow never specified that we couldn't give her the information, merely to withhold it. Ultimately it will be up to us when we give her the information…" she looked at the door as she could only imagine the woman walking in the rain.

"Besides, from what I observed she may be a wanted woman, who might have quite the price on her head." She smirked as she waved her fan.

"If need be, we can inform the authorities and receive quite a hefty sum from her capture. A good information broker always knows who she's dealing with before she gives away her secrets. Besides…" she narrowed her eyes.

"I get this bad feeling from them both of them. There's something about them that I just don't like. Like why they're against each other and whom they're working for. There are things I need to check into before we proceed any further." Her subordinates looked out the window as Cinder glared in the pouring rain, waiting for the chance to seek her vengeance upon the one that ruined her life.

Never knowing that the one she sought, the one her 'associate' sought and the one his friends searched for, would all collide sooner than expected.

* * *

Shion Village

* * *

The mood within the Iron Wolves temporary base was not one that of a pleasant one. It was rather more awkward, and tension-filled, that it could be cut with a knife. When the team had arrived, they were excited to finally find Jaune after so long. But when they arrived, they found out that had been 'taken' by bandits that were reconning the area. The only one that managed to get away was one of the Iron Wolves scouts, Gaius Longinus, who came back bruised and bleeding.

He claimed that they were ambushed, killed Bruno and tried to take both of them hostage. Explaining, in great detail, how Jaune 'sacrificed himself' to allow Gaius to getaway. When they went back there was no trace of Jaune and only drag marks that led to the river. The fact that there were no bodies, gave them a small amount of hope, and it meant that took him alive. The found Bruno's body half a mile down the rover, and the broken pieces of Jaune's weapon, that Griswald recognised with dread.

Immediately, Pyrrha wanted to go out and search the whole forest, nay the country if she had to, to find her wayward partner. But she was talked down after Qrow explained that whoever took Jaune made extra sure to cover their tracks. Meaning that whoever took him were not ordinary bandits, but rather a well-organised group with a history of kidnapping people. Which meant it wouldn't be as simple as them tracking down and beating them up.

"Well, we need to find them! Whoever they are, they can't have gotten far!" Pyrrha argued as they stood around the table.

"It's not that simple, girl. Whomever it was that took Jaune was no amateurs. They covered their tracks very well, likely going up through the river to hide their scent from any tracker dogs." Zwei whined as Ruby petted the small animal due to being unable to follow his scent.

"Which also means they must've had an airship close by to take them to wherever their base is located. The fact that they managed to get the drop on Bruno of all people, makes me believe that they're either former huntsmen or trained professionals working for a larger group." Griswald said as he stroked his beard.

"It still doesn't explain why they took Jaune? He doesn't hold anything strategic to the village and had only just arrived in town a few hours ago. If they were watching us, then they must've known who was more valuable."

"So, you're saying they took Jaune by accident? But why?" Ruby asked as Griswald pondered that.

"Gaius are you sure there's nothing you can remember that will help us?" he asked as Gaius, who was bandaged with his arm in a sling, groaned while sitting up from his reclining couch.

"I-it happened so fast; I-I barely made got a look at them. What I do know is that they took Bruno out first, sneaking up on him from behind. They must've had someone with a deceptive semblance. I barely managed to avoid serious injury, but I lost the ability to use my right hand properly." He gestured to his arm in the sling, putting on a look of pain when he moved his shoulder.

"They would've gotten me too if Jaune hadn't sent me away." He hung his head as if feeling ashamed.

Sadly, they believed him, as he had long since mastered the con of tricking his comrades. Inwardly he grinned when they bought his act. He was worried that one of the medics in town or on his team would figure out his little deception, but he had many years of practice to trick the medics by making it look like he was in too much pain to fully examine him. If they did, they would've instantly seen through his deception and realised that he had sold them out.

Luckily, he was just a skilled an actor a he was a scoundrel. Plus a few self-inflicted scratches here and there, a few bruises for good measure, and no one would be able to tell the difference.

"Gah!" Yang yelled out as she kicked a table over, breaking the table and scattering the contents all over the fall. "I can't believe this! We were hours away! Why in the bloody hell would Jaune stupidly risk evac just to get himself captured again!"

"To be honest, this was my fault. I shouldn't have sent him out, but he was adamant that he needed to check it out. Part of it I think stems from his experience from Riverdale. He thought he could prevent a similar attack if one was even coming at all, so as not to ruin his chance of extraction. But he miscalculated and he ended up getting captured. That was his pride…but it was also my inability to see past the determination I used to see in his grandfather."

Qrow shook his head as he placed it on the man's shoulder. "It's not your fault and it's not the kids either. It makes sense from a strategic point to use every available person you have, willing or otherwise. But if we keep focusing on the negative, we won't find him any sooner."

His words of wisdom calmed the younger blood, a rarity from the drunkard, as they agreed with him. They needed to keep their heads cool if they wanted to find any trace of their friend.

"Now I think the first thing we need to do is contact someone from Mistral, or maybe even one of the local Huntsman that are familiar with the area. They may know something about the ones that took the Arc kid. I have a few contacts I can reach, but I won't hear back from them for another day or two." Griswald suggested as Qrow nodded.

"Well, at least it's better than nothing. I have a few contacts I can reach myself." He looked over to the concerned looks of his niece and friends. "We'll find him, have patience. We are going to give up on him. He's already proved to be a survivor before, so we're not going to stop until we find him…or his corpse." He muttered the last part to himself not want to put a damper on his youngest niece.

' _Well, so far my luck is running its usual course. Just before we get to the kid he gets snatched up by bandits. I doubt my sister had anything to do with it, but I wouldn't put it past her to spite me.'_ He looked over to Gaius as he 'nursed' his injuries. _'I don't know why, but there are a few things about Gaius' story that don't add up, but I can't prove anything. I need to contact Oz and update him to the situation. Right now, we need to focus on finding the damn kid before something else happens, or Gods forbid Salem's group find them first. But at least things can't get any worse.'_

"Um, Griswald sir. We got a shuttle hailing us on an open frequency requesting permission to land. The pilot says their passengers are the Arc's parents and they want to see their son as soon as possible. The mother is insistent that she sees her… _baby boy_."

Both the older Captain and the Dusty Qrow blanched.

'… _Oh shit.'_

* * *

A day later in the Forest of Shion

* * *

The late-night moon hung over the forest as a small white animal moved in the darkness. His small paws tread carefully across the ground as the small form of Fenrir silently marched his way through the woods. His feet were tired, and his belly rumbled as he made his way back to Shion.

He had to get back to the other humans, tell them somehow of his master's fate and expose the mean one that separated them.

After his master had freed him from his bonds, the small wolf attempted to double back and help his master escape, once he lost their pursuit. But when he got back their scent had disappeared into the river and the wolf cub had lost any hope of tracking him down. Knowing this, he made the attempt to make it back to the large den where the other humans dwelled. Hopefully, he would be able to find someone who could help him get his master back.

And hopefully, he would find the mean human that betrayed him and his master and give him a big old bite in the man's behind.

The sight of the human swelling appeared in the distance as the small wolf smiled and ran faster towards the village. Right until an arrow shot near him and the wolf stopped in its tracks. He looked to the dwelling as some of the men, not dressed like the ones his master knew, aim their pointy weapons at him and fired.

The small wolf making a beeline for the forest as he managed to hide from their attacks.

"Geez, was that necessary? It was just an animal." he heard one of them as he peeked through the bushes.

"Relax, it's our jobs to keep animals and the Grimm away from us. If we don't, they could get into the food stores or the chicken coop, and that would cut into our salary. And I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep my job."

"I guess, but I've never seen an animal run straight for the gate before. Don't they usually try to sneak their way in?"

"Maybe this one was desperate? We did cover up those holes in the defences. All I know is, wolf's usually travels in packs, so stay alert. He may have more of his friends hiding out there."

The small wolf cub growled as made a mental note to bite them when he gets back into the dwelling. But Fenrir was a cautious boy. He knew he couldn't get close to them, not while they had their sharp pointy flying sticks, or those thunder makers, like the one his master had. He needed to find a way to sneak back inside, find the older alpha human and tell him about the traitorous beta-human. How he would accomplish this, would be a harder task.

The small wolf turned around and began to circle the village, hoping to find some way in to get back to the others and help them find his master.

* * *

Two Days Earlier – The Blood Pits

* * *

Tyrian grinned slightly as he and his young, unwilling, 'protégé' Mercury entered the large cavern-like cave. The rough surface slowly morphing from natural to manmade designs before the entered into a large cavern with huge metal doors.

"What the hell are we doing here?" the young man asked as Tyrian passed one of the heavily armed guards a bag of lien before the doors opened. "I thought you said we were going to recruit some new allies. What the hell are we doing here, and what is this place?"

"This my young protégé-"

"Don't call me that!" he hissed as the man ignored him.

"This is part of the mission. We are here at the Blood Pits, a little get together for the worst of the worst. Here you can find just about anything you need to find allies, potential recruits and even a few shady individuals that will do just about anything for a pocket of lien. Your father was one such individual that visited this place." Mercury flinched at the mention of his father.

"Oh yes, Marcus Black did quite a few jobs for these fine individuals back in the day…well, right up until he had a nasty case of _patricide_. Hehehehehehe!" he cackled as the boy glared.

"So, remind me why we're here?" he stressed hoping to get this mission done as soon as possible and not bring up his father again.

"We're here to recruit some new allies for our Goddess. Most of these men I know will work for cash, others for the thrill like me. And we can even purchase some of the gladiators they keep in the basement and be repurposed to suit our goals." Tyrian instructed. "Another reason we're here is verifying if that little informant was telling the truth and Cinders little saboteur is locked up here."

"He's here? He doesn't seem that bright if he ended up in this dump."

"Who knows how he ended up here. The important thing is that we confirm he's here or not. If he is, I shall have to contact our Goddess and arrange for…pickup." He vaguely implied as they walked past a set of doors as they arrived in the large stadium.

"If not…then we'll be making a quick stop to refund my money."

The roar of the crowd echoing as well as the sound of Grimm as they were witness to another bloody event. A man dressed in a lion-like grab was versing a large Ursa Major with nothing but his armour and a wooden club.

"First, we have to meet with the man in charge. He should be in the VIP box up there." He pointed to the large box that loomed over the stadium. "You look around and learn what you can about the Saboteur." The boy nodded as he walked away.

Tyrian himself walked up to the large VIP room as he stood before the entrance with two strong looking guards standing before him. They crossed their pikes before him and barred his way. "I'm an old friend of August. Tell him Tyrian has come for a visit…and favour." He grinned as the men looked slightly off-put before radioing in.

He faintly heard the voice of August giving him permission from their radios before they uncrossed his oath and he walked in. he walked inside, past the viewing windows and into a large decorated room that served as the man's office.

"Tyrian! What a surprise! I hardly ever expected to see you here again!" he grinned as he felt the slight nervousness in his voice.

No surprise. The last time he worked with August, he ended up painting his lovely office a new shade of red after a rather… _distasteful_ disagreement with one of his investors. That was before he came into the employ and devotion of Salem of course and why August had a man stationed within each corner of the office.

"Well, the universe just has a certain way of bringing people together. Speaking of which, I require your service old friend." He sat down in front of his desk as August walked over to his drink cabinet and poured himself a glass. "I'm in the need of new allies for a …organization I've recently become a part of."

"You with the White Fang now? I must say I never expected or saw you of all people to be pulled in by that kind of cause. As I remember, you don't care what happens to your people." The scorpion man scoffed.

"No, I'm not part of those whiners and showboats. My calling is much higher than their cause, a cause I believe will change the world itself." He grinned as he thought about his Goddess. "But to do this I need new allies and enforcers."

"Why not ask Lil' Malachite? She's usually the one you go to if you want to find people."

"Despite her vast resource in the information department, when it comes to the manpower my employer needs, all she has is little spider-lings that aren't much good in a fight."

"Ah, you want quality over quantity."

"Exactly. And you are the best man I know that can find me those with the skills I need to complete my… _benefactors'_ goals. I will also need some willing investors to help supply our group. Payment is no problem, of course, and I can put you into contact with someone of my group who is quite skilled with machinery." August nodded as he sipped his Atlesian Brandy.

"I can get you in touch with some likeminded individuals like yourself. But some of them are either under my employ or currently on another mission won't be available for some time. I do have some contacts in the major Kingdoms I can put you into contact with, they may not be interested unless the price is right."

"That will be fine, money, as I said, is no issue." The man nodded as he poured himself another drink. "There is another thing I have come to you for." He paused as he looked to the assassin. "I'm looking for someone, a certain individual that has captured my employers' eye..." August raised an eyebrow.

"And who in particular would this individual be?" he asked.

"…The White Wolf"

The subtle gripping of the man's glass all but confirmed his suspicions as he set his glass down. "…and why pray to tell are you interested in the White Wolf?"

"He's caused us a bit of trouble over the past few weeks and my Goddess merely wants an audience with him. She wants to determine whether or not he could be a useful asset, or if he'll become a threat to her plans. But in any case, I'm aware that you have him in your custody. A certain spider told me all about it."

"Of course, she did…that pesky little…" he set the glass down and glared at the man.

"Unfortunately, my friend, we're going to have a bit of a problem with that. See, he has become somewhat of an…major attraction for my games here. He's brought in quite a lot of money in only two days, and I'm unwilling to part with such an asset. I will still give you what you asked, but I must insist that the White Wolf stay under my charge, I hope you can understand?"

Tyrian's tail flickered with annoyance but paused when the guards in the room aimed their pikes at him, the dust crystals chagrining with deadly intent.

"…I'm…disappointed." He stood up. "But I understand, you have a business to run and I have places to be." He stood up and grinned. "I do hope that we can reach another arrangement sometime shortly. Until then…enjoy the games." He grinned wickedly before being escorted out of the room.

Meanwhile, Mercury continued to watch from the crowd as the last competitor crushed the Ursa's skull with his club.

"AND ITS OVER! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN YOUR FAVOURITE GLADIATOR – THE GOLDEN LION! HAS DEFEATED THE DREADED URSA MAJOR AND EARNED HIS REST!"

He watched with amusement as the tall blond-haired man was escorted back to his cell. His body littered with more scratches and scars as he made no effort to fight back against his captors. Likely knowing the consequences of fighting back.

"AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! IT'S THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! FOR HIS FIRST FIGHT OF THE DAY! IT'S THE WHITE WOLF!"

Mercury's attention peeked as he watched the arena stage open and a teen like him dressed in a wolf-like armour rose out from the floor. He was armed with a long spear, a small shield and had a wolfs helmet on his head.

"THIS WEEK! OUR FEARLESS WOLF WILL BATTLE AGAINST THE FEROCIOUS! THE TERRIFYING! UNRELENTING! …THE BERINGEL OF THE DEADLANDS!"

A large cage was lowered into the arena as the metal cage thumped and banged loudly until the locks broke off and a large gorilla-like Grimm came bounding out. Its bone plating was scratched to hell, its fur was dark with red pulsing from its neck and broken face mask.

He watched as the young warrior held his shield and planted his feet firmly on the ground. "Oh, this will be good." He thought as he watched the young man.

The Beringel roared is its massive hands pounded the sand before galivanting towards the warrior. The young warrior made quick to dodge its attack as his spear found itself plunged into its underarm and the beast hollowed in pain. The beast made to swipe at the man, who ducked back and held the spear and shield defensively. The Beringel hollered loudly as its fists swung wildly and crushed the stone beneath the sand.

The young warrior stepping back with each step as he drew closer and closer to the walls of the arena. Right up until his back hit the wall and the Grimm roared.

But that was when things changed as the warrior rolled between its legs jump onto its back and drive the spear straight into the back of its head. The Grimm roared as the warrior gripped the handle and snapped the wood in half. Gripping the other half of the broken shaft, he drove the shaft into the monster's eye.

The Grimm roared in pain as the warrior pulled back on the broken spear and forced the creature onto its back, his helmet falling off in the struggle.

With its spine severed and a spear through its mouth, the Beringel could only moan in pain as the warrior stood over the beast and stepped on its neck. A cold gaze in his eyes as he pressed down and crushed its windpipe. The Beast falling limp as the broken spear was wrenched free from its disintegrating form.

"AND HE'S DONE IT! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE WHITE WOLF HAS BEATEN ANOTHER OF HIS FOES! HE'S ON A ROLE! CAN ANYTHING STOP THE WOLF!?"

There was a mixture of cheering and booing as the young man had either made them a lot of money or lost it. Mercury, on the other hand, was gazing at the monitor as it closed in on his face. His mind scrambling to put a name to the face, as he could've sworn, he had seen it before. The hair was shorter, but he could've sworn he looked like-!

His mind suddenly clicked to a blond-haired scraggly boy next to one of Cinder's targets as he remembered who he was.

Tyrian came up to him as he looked somewhat disgruntled, but still manically giddy as he walked over to the railing.

"So that's him? The White Wolf?" he asked as the teen nodded. "Good, at least her intel was correct, but it seems that our good friend is… _uninterested_ in handing him over. I will need to contact Salem for further instructions. For now, we must retreat and come up with a new plan, and maybe find out more about the White Wolf."

"I already know who he is."

Tyrian raised a curious eyebrow as he pointed to the boy. "He's a Student from Beacon Academy, went missing in the Black Forest a few months ago. If I recall his name is Jaune Arc, Leader of Team JNPR and partner to Pyrrha Nikos, one of Cinders potential targets."

Tyrian looked at the boy and the cold look in his blues eyes, a grin slowly started to form, and he began to laugh loudly only to be drowned out by the roar of the crowd as the next Grimm was brought into the arena.

"Well, now…that is _interesting_."

* * *

Two Days Earlier – Shion Village

* * *

The arrival of Jaune's family was a rather surprising turn of events. The couple, having been informed by Ozpin that their son was alive, immediately left for Shion to finally have a face to face confrontation with their son. What they instead received was sad faces and horrifying news that their son was missing once again. The result of which.

"GODS DAMN IT!"

Was about what you expected.

A large crater now plastered the walls of the building as Roland's aura swirled around his body. A deep gold that radiated with power and intent. His breaths were heavy and strained as it took all of his self-control to keep him from destroying the entire building. Jaune's friend huddled back in fear of the man, as they had never felt an aura of that magnitude. Especially from someone they had only briefly met at Jaune's 'funeral'.

The only ones unaffected were the veterans, Qrow and Diana Arc, who sat on one of the couches crying her eyes out.

"How the hell did this happen!? Ozpin said he was alive! Told us we could meet him here, and now you're telling me he's missing again!" Roland stressed with anger in his voice as Griswald held his hands up.

"How it happened doesn't matter at this point. What does matter is that unlike last time we know he's alive! There's still a chance we can find him, but we can't do that when you're geared up and raging for war and putting dents in the God damn building!" the man tried to reason with the grieving parents.

It was true, from the looks of it, both Arc parents had come geared up for war. The large blond man was decked out in his old Huntsman gear that was similar to Jaune's original armour. Instead, it was bulky, had more plating in his arms, legs and chest with a large broadsword on his back. While Diana's was a combination of a Nordic Armour with a fur collar, grey plated armour and her hybrid rifle/sword in her back.

Roland sighed as his aura subsided and he managed to calm himself. "You're…you're right. I apologise. It's just that after so long we thought we were given a second chance to have our son back. Maybe even to make up for our mistakes." He walked over to his wife as she held his arm comfortingly. "It's just hard to process that he's gone again."

"Not gone, just lost at the moment. But we will find him, you have my word." Griswald reaffirmed as the man nodded.

"You're right," Diana spoke up as she managed to collect herself. "So, what should be our next move?"

While the humans crowded around the table, Zwei took the moment to relax on the couch as he relented to the fact that there was nothing he could do at the moment. His canine sense of smell had failed him when he searched the area for the human he was tracking, both here and in Riverdale. It was a blow to the little corgi's pride and one that would take him to time to heal. But as he lay his head on the couch, he picked up a strange smell.

A smell that was similar to the one he was supposed to track but mixed with something else.

His little head shot up as he hopped off the couch and began to follow the scent out the door. "Zwei?" his master Ruby asked as she watched to small corgi exit the room. "Wait, Where are you going?" she asked as she, Weiss and Pyrrha quickly followed the small dog.

"What's going on?" Yang asked as she watched her sister leave.

"I don't know. Zwei just got up and left. I'm going to go follow him." She told her sister.

"Just don't go too far!" her uncle called out as he returned to his meeting with the adults.

Zwei continued to follow the scent as he sniffed the air and walked his way past wandering legs, stalls and a few children playing ball. Eventually, he made it outside the gate, past the two confused looking guards.

The scent grew stronger as he trotted his tiny legs through the bushes, pushing past the leaves and twigs until he was deeper in the forest, and the sound of his masters was further from him.

When he emerged from the bushes he stopped as he stood face to face with a small white looking wolf. The small wolf was lying in the hollow of an old tree when its ears picked up the sound of rustling and he went over to investigate the noise.

Initially, Fenrir thought it was another rabbit that he could chow down on, only to come face to face with a small looking…well, he didn't know what it was. It looked like him, but it was too small and stubby to be a wolf, and too old to be a pup. What the heck was this thing?

The two canines circled each other as they were unsure of what to make of the other. They copied each other's moves circled each other. Hopped around on all fours and continued to circle again in a rather cute manner.

The wolf barked and yipped as he communicated with the small dog, who replied in turn. The small corgi pointing his nose to the piece of fabric around its neck. Fenrir looked at the fabric of his master and barked in return.

"Zwei! Zwei where are you!" Ruby called out. "Zwei where did you…" she called out just as Weiss and Pyrrha walked out of the bushes. she stopped as she gazed upon the sight of her pet and a small wolf pup. To which she shrieked in excitement.

"EEEEE! Oh my gosh, it's a baby wolf!"

"Ruby get back!" Wiess called out as she grabbed the girl's cape and pulled her back. "That is a wild animal! You can't just go picking it up! You have no idea where it's been! Not mention its parents could still be around!" she hissed to the girl.

"Aw! But come on Wiess! It's a cute little wolf puppy! You don't know how long I've wanted to meet one! Look, even Zwei likes him!" she pointed as the two canines appeared to be getting along.

"That doesn't matter! It's still a wild animal! No matter how cute it is!" Fenrir started to growl at the unfamiliar humans, unsure of their motives.

"See! It's a wild animal! And you were going to try and pet it weren't you?!"

"…Maybe?" Ruby said meekly while Fenrir still growled and glared at them.

"She does have a point, Ruby," Pyrrha spoke. "It's not wise to interact with wild animals. Its parents could still be around, and the last thing we need is to have to full-grown wolves chasing us." She advised as the girl slumped slightly.

"Okay." She moped.

Fenrir, on the other hand, continued to growl at the three humans but couldn't help but feel he had seen them before. He remembered his master would always use scribble in that little thing that smelt like deadwood. The scribbles looked almost exactly like the one that stood before him. It was then he noticed a similar smell coming from the red-haired one, more specifically the white object on her waist.

"Hmm?" she looked down as the white wolf cub carefully trotted over to her and started sniffing her. "Uh, what's it doing?" she asked backing away slowly, only for Fenrir to edge closer to her.

"I have no idea. Maybe he likes you?" Ruby suggested as Pyrrha bent down to the small wolf.

"Hello little one, why are you sniffing me?" she asked as the small wolf hopped onto her knees and started pressing his nose against the scabbed on her waist. "Wait, you're smelling Jaune's sword, why would you…" she paused as she noticed the black cloth around the wolfs neck. "What's this…"

She gently pulled the small tattered piece of fabric loose, despite the small growl that came from the pup, which stopped when it noticed the familiar look in the human girl's eye. When she unfurled it, then looked confused as she was face to face with a small symbol of the Pumpkin Pete mascot.

"Hey, isn't that the Pumpkin Pete mascot logo?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah. It's what they use before they started using me for their advertisements. But what's it doing around a wild animal's neck? It couldn't have done that on its own." Suddenly Zwei got in close and sniffed the cloth then barked.

"Wait a minute…I think Zwei is trying to tell us something." Ruby observed as Zwei pointed between the sword and the cloth before the gears in her head turned. "Hey! I think he's trying to say that belongs to Jaune!"

Weiss and Pyrrha snapped their heads at that remark before they looked down at the wolf. "Wait, if this is Jaune's, what is it doing around a wolf pups' neck?" Weiss asked with great confusion.

"I don't know, but this might be the clue we need to find him." She held the cloth out to the small wolf. "Is that right, did this belong to Jaune? Did he give this to you?" she asked as the wolf barked and nodded. A happy smile spread across her face as she picked the small wolf up, that surprisingly didn't attempt to fight back.

"We need to show this to the others. If this wolf knows where Jaune is, maybe it can help us find him."

"But what about its parents? Wouldn't they come looking for it?" Weiss asked before she noticed the small wolf whine slightly with its head lowering.

"That doesn't matter at this point. Let's get back to the others and worry about it later." She said before all three of them ran back to the gates.

Back at the temporary base, the adults and the rest of the team was going over everything they knew about Jaune's disappearance as they hoped to find some sort of clue as to where he could've possibly gone. But so far, they kept running into the same problem. They had no idea where his kidnappers could've possibly gone.

"Well they couldn't have vanished into thin air, they had to have left some sort of trace?" Roland asked as Griswald shook his head.

"We've searched the area a thousand times, but any trace of them disappears ten miles down the river. They had to have had an airship nearby to pick them up. And as good a tracker we have, they can't track anything that's shot off into the air."

"None of my contacts have reported anything out of the ordinary yet. Either they truly know nothing, or someone paid them off to keep that sort of intel from leaking out. Whoever these guys are…they're not amateurs." Qrow said as he took a swig of his flask.

"Then we need to go over everything again, every little detail no matter how small. Maybe we missed something?" Diana suggested.

"Gaius are you sure there was nothing else out of the ordinary?" the Iron Wolves Captain asked as the man 'painfully' shrugged his shoulders.

"As I said, I didn't get a very good look at them when they attacked us. I'm very sorry." The rest grimaced at the lack of useful information while Gaius inwardly applauded his performance.

So long as they continued to buy into his act there was no way they would ever figure out he was part of the abduction. But he realised that this close call was too close for comfort and decided the best option would be to leave the Iron Wolves as soon as possible. Eventually, they would start to see the gaps in his story, the 'coincidences' that Cornelius had seen and press harder with their questions. And once that happened, it would only be a matter of time before they would discover his little…side ventures.

' _I may have overstayed my welcome. I just need to find the right opportunity to leave before they catch on. Maybe make my injury more serious than it is. An 'Honourable Discharge' sounds just right for me.'_

His musing was cut short as the doors opened and the three teens all but rushed back in. "Hey, you'll never believe this! But we might have a clue about Jaune!" all heads snapped towards them as Gaius felt a bead of sweat trickle down his neck.

"What! Really!?" Roland asked as Ruby handed him the black cloth while Pyrrha held up the small wolf pup.

"We found this tied around this pup's neck. Zwei thinks it belonged to Jaune, but we're not sure how?" Ruby said as Griswald narrowed his gaze to the wolf pup.

"Hey, wait a minute…this is the same wolf pup that Jaune arrived with. Yeah, Fenrir!" the small Wolf pup barked in approval.

"What!? Fearless leader had a pet wolf! That's awesome!" Nora exclaimed as she ran over and petted the small wolf. Who recognised her from the 'scribble's and allowed the pat, if any indication of his wagging tail were anything to go by?

"I was wondering what happened to him. This little guy never left Jaune's side, now where have you been this whole time?"

The small wolf broke its attention of the pats and scanned the room. When his eyes settled on Gaius, a deep and bloodthirsty growl exited its mouth and caused the others to flinch. Then faster than anyone could react he jumped from Pyrrha's arms, ran straight across the room and sunk his teeth into the man's arm.

"Gah!" Gaius screamed as he bolted off his chair and started flaying his arm around. "Get off me you stupid-! Ow!" he yelled before he grabbed the wolf by its neck and threw him across the room.

"Damn mutt tried to eat me! Captain are you going to…"

He paused when he noticed everyone staring at him, or rather his arm that had been previously in its sling, moving perfectly fine.

"…Gaius…why is your arm perfectly fine?" his captain asked with a dangerous tone as he could feel the pressure leaking off the man. "You told us your arm was broken…why is it that you can move it just fine?"

A bead of sweat began to build on his brow as everyone slowly encircled the man. He felt a hand on his shoulder as he stared into the face of Roland Arc who's– while looking calm – had eyes that were blazing with fury.

"What…did you do…to my son?"

Roland stressed as he gripped the man's shoulder, almost feeling his collar bone snap in two. His left hand twitching slightly as a small black ball descended from his sleeve.

"O-Okay, let's just remain calm and-ha!" he quickly flung his arm out as his smoke bomb hit Roland right in his face.

"Son of a-!" Roland cried out as the ball exploded and temporarily stunned.

"Get him!" Griswald yelled as everyone in the room made a move for the man who suddenly disappeared into thin air. "Shit! He's using his semblance! Cover the exits!" he ordered as tried to fund the man amongst the confusion.

Gaius cursed to himself as he made his way around the room while trying to avoid the men and woman trying to grab him. The doors were locked and there was no way he could overpower Gilroy or Ishida, let alone the Captain. Which meant his only option would be the window.

' _Ha! Later suckers!'_

He made a beeline for the window. But before he could even get a foot forward, he was suddenly held in place by a powerful pressure that almost caused him to crumble to his knees.

"What the!" he yelled as his semblance wavered before breaking.

He managed to turn his head as Roland held out one hand that glowed with his aura.

"I had a feeling you'd run, so I tagged you with my semblance _. 'Gravity Manipulation'_. It gives me the ability to manipulate the gravity of myself or anything I touch for a limited time." The man grinned as Gaius 's eyes widened in shock.

"Now…my wife has a few questions she'd like to ask you," he flicked when he felt an unprecedented killing intent rolling off one Diana Arc. "Right dear?"

The woman stared down at him as she cracked her knuckles in a dark and threatening manner. Her eyes began to glow with a golden colour and the muscles in her body began to tense, as she was slowly surrounded by a blood-red aura.

"…U-Um…M-Mercy?" Gaius whimpered in fear as the woman held a sweet smile on her face.

A Disturbingly sweetly smile.

Right before her fist slammed straight into his face and the force of the blow sent him rocketing out the building, straight through a wall no less. Blood and teeth flying out of his mouth as he twirled in the area and smashed through several buildings before coming to a painful halt.

Small whimpers and moans were the only indications he was alive as Diana cracked her knuckles.

The others merely stared in shock and fear, as they gaped at the destructive power of Jaune's mother. Huddled together in fear as an aura of intimidation and anger was purely visible around her while her eyes had temporarily glowered with a gold colour and her red aura shrouded her.

"Sorry, had to get that off my chest." She informed as she stomped her way out to retrieve the lying bastard.

"…H-Hey Ren?" Pyrrha spoke with trepidation as she gazed at the woman.

"Y-Yeah Pyrrha?"

"R-Remind me never to cross Jaune's mother."

"D-Deal."

"I think that was awesome!" Nora grinned at the destruction while everyone else just stared at her.

Gaius groaned in absolute pain, as his once pretty-boy looking features had been smashed into a bulging mess, with a busted lip, swollen eyes and missing teeth. "Now then…" Diana spoke as she stood over the man, grabbed him by the vest and glared at him straight in the eyes.

"Where the hell is my son!?"

* * *

Present Day – Blood Pits

* * *

A small pack of Beowolves lay around the boy as he held the broken spear shaft one hand and chipped sword in the other. His form covered in blood and scratches as he panted heavily trying to get fresh air into his lungs. His hands trembled slightly as the shots of adrenaline coursed through his veins.

"AND ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE WHITE WOLF! I HONESTLY DIDN'T BELIEVE HE'D MAKE IT THIS FAR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

He looked back up to the VIP box as he glared and pointed his weapon at the men inside. "That the best you got?" he threatened them, doubtful they could hear him. He was tired, he was pissed off and he was eager to finally bust out of this place.

He gripped his weapons tight as he glared with every ounce of anger in his bones.

Up in the VIP box, August smirked at the determined glare from the boy.

"He's getting cheeky, wouldn't you agree?" he asked Ivan who merely grumbled.

"I still say he's been getting lucky. It's only a matter of time before he ends up as Grimm chow…"

"Well, I guess Arcs are just harder to kill then you think. After all his grandfather has been still kicking it for the past ten years, maybe the same can happen to his grandson?" the man scoffed.

"I highly doubt it. Cornelius Arc was already a legendary warrior by the time he was brought in. His welp only took out a few bandits and a hoard full of Grimm. Hardly anything to praise about. If you ask me, if he was up against a true challenge, he'd be a goner."

August hummed as he thought for a moment.

"If you truly believe so…" he then smirked as he snapped his fingers. "Say, why don't we test him? Is our _special attraction,_ ready to go?"

Ivan raised an eyebrow before he nodded. "Yes, the Beastmaster's just managed to catch it, relatively un-harmed…wait, are planning on releasing that thing into the arena?" the man nodded.

"Well you keep saying that he's been winning by luck so far, so why not properly test him with our latest attraction?"

"But what if it kills him? Didn't you say he was one of your main attractions? If he dies, then it's over for the boy." August merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Then that's just the circle of life. If he is lucky, he'll win and earn us some more lien. If he dies, we still end up with more lien and you are proven right. Besides…" he thought back to Tyrian's surprise visit.

"Tyrian's sudden visit has me…concerned. I've known that man to be ruthless and unhinged. If he wants something, he will not stop until he gets it. If he wants the boy, I fear of the lengths he may go to accomplish it…but, if the boy, say: meets a rather... _unfortunate_ end. Then we can't be held responsible." He shrugged as he gestured to Ivan.

"Bring out his last challenge. And tell the announcer it's going to be…a _showstopper_." He smiled as Ivan nodded and pulled out his radio.

"It's Ivan, bring out the new one."

Jaune rested momentarily on his knee, as he allowed for the brief moment, to calm his nerves. It was no doubt that the assholes upstairs were deciding which Grimm he was going to fight next. This time it had been an especially hard challenge with three Beowolves, especially after killing two Ursa's in the previous rounds. He was starting to run on fumes now, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Especially if Ivan was controlling the matches. He found out from his grandfather that the man used to come from a notorious bandit clan that once spread terror across Vale before the Arcs wiped them out. Now he seemed to take a certain joy in watching both him and his grandfather fight to the death in this blood arena, hoping to watch the Arcs finally die out.

Luckily, he had a plan to escape this hell hole, one that needed the right moment to enact.

' _But no yet…I just need one moment… then I make my move. I just to the Gods it works?'_

In the cellblock, Cornelius sighed in relief as he watched his grandson take down the pack of Grimm and managed to make it out alive. "Thank the Gods. Just one more round Jaune, just one more round and it is over for the night. Just stay focused." He spoke out loud, hoping that somehow it reached the boy.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WE'VE HAD A HELL OF A RUN TONIGHT! JUST ONE MORE MATCH AND THE WHITE WOLF GETS TO RETURN TO HIS DEN!"

Jaune grunted as he stood back up and gripped his weapons tight, ready for whatever it was that they were going to send his way next.

"BUT FOR THE FINAL MATCH OF THE NIGHT! WE HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE!"

Jaune blinked in confusion, not liking this sudden tone.

"FOR TONIGHT OUR BEASTMASTER'S HAVE CAPTURED A RATHER ELUSIVE AND DANGEROUS GRIMM, AT GREAT COST TO THEMSELVES! AND OUR BANK!"

The door at the far end began to rattle as a roar began to resonate and the sounds of men struggling with something on the other side. "I don't like this," Cornelius spoke as he and the others were crowded near the barred windows.

"THIS GRIMM IS PARTICULARLY KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS GRIMM TO WALK THE PLANET! THOUSANDS OF MEN HAVE DIED IN VEIN TO KILL THE BEAST!"

The metal doors dented and rattled as Jaune kept his weapons raised.

"ITS CLAWS ARE SO SHARP THE CAN SLICE THROUGH STEEL! ITS FANGS AND JAW CAN BITE THE HEAD OF A MAN CLEAN OFF! AND ITS RUMOURED THAT NOTHING CAN PENETRATE ITS THICK HIDE!"

The metal door began to open as Jaune, for the first time since the Forever Falls Forest, felt true fear as the creature lumbered out from the darkness. Eyes widened as a large paw stepped forth from the darkness.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I GIVE YOU…THE NEMEAN LION!"

The crowd erupted in a cheer as the Nemean Lion strode out of the doorway. Standing before him was a large Lion shaped Grimm, easily larger than his grandfather with fur as black as night. Claws and fangs like ivory with a thick blood red mane that seemed to almost glow menacingly. Armour plating surrounded its back, paws and face as evidence of scars and chips could be seen across its body.

Which meant that this Grimm was old, it was intelligent…and it was hungry.

Fear and panic gripped his chest as Cornelius clutched the bars so tight, they nearly broke.

"Jaune get out of there! You can't fight something like that!"

The Lion growled as it carefully observed the human before him, who in turn gripped his weapons and held them up, ready for anything that the Grimm would throw at him. The Grimm roared as it bounded towards the young gladiator.

Jaune manages to avoid its razor-sharp claws as he rolled on the ground, ditched the spear and grabbed one of the round shields off the ground and stood his ground. He raised the shield just in time as the Lion-Grimm pounced and landed on top of the shield.

Jaune struggled with all his might as the massive beast bore down on him, only just managing to avoid its claws. He slashed his sword against its hide, only for it to bounce off harmlessly against it. His eyes widened before he was knocked back far across the arena and landed near the cell windows.

"Jaune! Are all right!?"

"Yeah…totally fine…" he managed to groan out. "Any suggestions?!"

"Conventional weapons won't work on it! Its hide is too thick to cut, even with an aura! Especially with all this negative energy in the air! You need something equivalent to a tank to kill that thing!"

"Oh…marvellous…thanks for the advice." He droned with sarcasm as he got back up and held his shield up just in time as the beast pounced upon him again, the claws slashing the metal protection to ribbons and leaving four large gashes in his forearm.

"GAH!" Jaune yelled as he dropped the ruined shield and rolled away from the advancing beast.

Jaune looked around for anything that he could use as a weapon as all there was were broken weapons which consisted of: a wooden club, a large cracked hammer, a few worn spears and a large dented ornate shield. He cursed as nothing around him would be enough to kill the Nemean Lion.

So, working with what he had, he grabbed a fallen club off the ground and stuck the beast in the face as the wood club snapped from the impact and only served to piss the Grimm off. The Grimm roared as lunged at the boy, who rolled under its attack and grabbed a handful of sand off the ground and chucked it at the beasts' eyes.

The red sand blinding the beast as it roared in pain, pawing and shaking its head to remove the sand.

The lion roared as pawed at the sand in its eyes. Eyes. Now that gave him an idea.

Grabbing a spear off the ground he sprinted towards the beast as he poised the spear into a ramming position. The beast moving around blindly as it attempted to both evade and attack the boy, even though it was blinded. But that was all it took a Jaune thrust the spear straight into the beast's eye.

' _if the hide is too thick! I'll go in through its eye!'_

He pushed with all his might as he drove the metal spear into the monster's eye. Black smoke pouring out of the wound as the beast roared in absolute pain.

"Yes!" Cornelius yelled as and the other cellmates cheered.

But the cheering soon turned to dread as the rotten wood of the spear snapped in half before it could go any further into the beast skull. Jaune was just as stunned before the lion roared and slashed its claws across his chest, leaving four large marks across his chest and blood to shoot out.

"Jaune!"

The boy managed to stumble back as grasped his chest in pain. Blood leaking between his fingers as he weakly stumbled backwards. Had he not instinctively jumped back the moment the spear broke the cuts would've been too deep and he'd be seeing the inside of his chest cavity.

"Gah! Argh! Gah! Ha! Argh!" but that still didn't stop the pain that now flooded his nerves.

His vision began to blur and his hand began to shake as he looked between the blood that stained his palm, the sound of his heart pounded in his ears as the beast that managed to claw the spear from its eye as It glared furiously with one eye. Jaune struggled to stand only to fall back on his rear as for a brief moment he honestly believed he was going to die…

'… _No…No I'm not going to die here…'_

The Nemean Lion slowly marched towards the boy as its sharp claws dug into the sands and its growl rumbled in its throat.

'… _I've come too far…'_

The roar of the crowd echoed as it drowned the sound of his grandfathers' pleas to stop the match. Ivan grinning from ear to ear while August looked on with morbid curiosity.

'… _I've suffered too much to die in this fucking place!'_

Jaune gripped the sand as he slowly stood back up. His blood dripping off his chest as he gripped his fists tight.

'… _I am not going to die as entertainment for these pricks!'_

In his mind's eye, he imaged the same glowing sun that he drew his powers from as he reached out for it. The white aura swirling and seeping into him, as the small device on his chest began to spark.

' _I am going to get out of here! I am going to be free!'_

A white sheen began to shroud and flicker around Jaune as the stadium, the Grimm and the world almost seemed to stop. The pressure they began to feel was unimaginable as they near chocked on the intent.

' _And when I do…'_

The small device suddenly short-circuited as White aura erupted from his form. A pure white flame of aura shooting up into the air and twisting around his body. Nearly blinding everyone with its shine, before slowly dying down and encumbering his form in a white glow as his hair swayed slightly in the breeze. His eyes snapped open as a small white line encumbered his eyes.

' _I am going to burn this place to the fucking ground!'_

The audience and those in their cells could only stare in awe and fear as the boy radiated with power. He felt a burst of energy inside him as his gashes on his chest began to close at an alarming rate, steam drifted from his wounds. The boy hardened his glared as he cracked his neck for a show before slid back into a running stance and sped towards the Grimm. A bloodthirsty roar echoed from his throat as he unleashed a powerful punch straight into the beast's face, that sent it flying back into the stadium walls and causing the building to shake.

The audience's jaws nearly hit the floor as the Grimm slowly lumbered out from the crater.

The Nemean Lion roared as it bounded towards the boy, that glowed like a shining star. Jaune merely jumped back as his new 'amplified' speed easily allowed him to dodge the beast. He then summoned a round shield on his left arm as he bashed the beast in the face, causing a loud vibration to echo out.

The beast stumbled back as Jaune held his new shield up and almost seemed to glare at the stunning beast. "All right you overgrown cat…" The aura broke apart and reformed around his arms and legs as armoured claws and boots clasped themselves to his body.

"Ready for round two?"

Up in the Box, the VIP guest stared in muted awe as the boy launched himself at the Grimm. "What the hell!? How is he doing that!? He shouldn't have that much aura!? How the hell is this possible!?" Ivan demanded as he turned to one of the technicians.

"H-He's short-circuited the restraint! The device can't handle that much aura!"

"Well activate the stadium restrains and lock him down!" he ordered as they made to activate the stadium defences.

"No, wait," August spoke up as they turned to him who appeared just as shocked, but also giddy as he stared at the boy. "Let's see where this goes, I'm getting excited about this! This might be our best show yet!" he laughed with childlike glee.

"Jaune?" Cornelius could only stare in awe as his grandson radiated with power.

"T-That's your grandson?" one of the prisoners asked. "Did you know about this?"

"No…No, I…I always knew he had potential but…I never expected anything like this…like this!"

The boy sped around the Grimm with frightening speed as he moved almost like a wild animal as he ducked and dodged around the Lions attacks. His white claws slashing at the beast's thick hide as, while it didn't break the skin, it caused the best quite a bit internal damage as it roared in anger.

He kept this up as he dodged, punched, dodged, kicked and dodged the creature as his Amplifying Semblance augmented his abilities to new heights.

Coupled with his survival instincts and his tactical mind, it made him a nearly unstoppable force.

The Lion lunged at the boy as he flipped back, and he willed the aura into his fist. The gauntlets glowing brighter as he unleashed a powerful blow to the beast stomach and another, before shifting his weight and forcing his fist under its chin.

The muscles in his body amplified by the pure aura as the punch created a large shockwave and sent it rocketing into the air. The beast spinning in the air as its body flailed helplessly in the air, almost touching the roof before falling back down.

Jaune took this moment to concentrate his aura as he imaged a weapon in his mind, one that he based off one of his dearest friends and comrades.

A long shaft began to form in his hand that slowly stretched itself out until it was roughly the same length as his body. A large rectangular shape formed at the end of the shaft as the shape instantly became a large Warhammer.

He slid himself into position as the Nemean Lion came tumbling down.

A small orb of aura appeared at one end of the hammer as every muscle in Jaune's body tensed and the ball of aura erupted into a powerful blast, boosting the momentum of the swing, and sending the hammer rocketing at incredible speeds. Right into the face of the Nemean Lion as for a moment, everything was paused, before a loud bang like thunder blasted the Nemean Lion off into the stone wall and crashing into the concrete.

The hammer broke away into specks of aura as Jaune glared at the smoking crater and the best that slowly slid off the wall.

The beast slowly began to rise as Jaune cursed slightly. "Seriously!? What the hell is it going to take to kill this thing!?…oh, right, a tank. And where the hell do I find a…" he trailed off as he got a bad idea. A really bad idea.

"Oh, man…this is going to hurt."

The Nemean Lion groaned and whimpered slightly at the massive headache that now circulated its brain, as more and more rage began to fuel its body. It's one remaining eye glaring at the young man as it knew in its basic instinct that is needed to kill this boy.

It had been hurt, it had been humiliated, it had been disgraced. It had to kill.

The Nemean Lion roared as it prepared to attack. It knew that humans relied on their arms and legs to move and fight, without them they were helpless sacks of flesh. When the boy would summon another of those 'light weapons' it would clamp its jaws around the limb and bite with everything it had. Once the human was weak and defenceless, it would go for the head and end this. Then it would find a way out of this place.

Or die trying.

Just as it had predicted, the human summoned another of those light weapons, a sword of shining white, as the Lion bounded towards the boy. Hoping to catch the boy by surprise, Jaune himself was anticipating this attack and slashed at the beast. But at the last second, the Lion jumped over the boy and made for his left arm, nearly swallowing the entire appendage thing whole.

"Jaune!"

"GAH!" Jaune screamed as the teeth bit down on his arm, warmblood filling its mouth as for a moment the beast had claimed victory.

Only to gape in confusion as Jaune grinned.

White aura surged around his legs as the clawed boots dug themselves to the ground. A chain of white swirled around the beast's mouth before tightening and held it shut over his arm. It was taking all of Jaune's concentration to keep both his barrier up, and the restraints, as the beast struggled to free itself. In its mouth, the Nemean Lion felt the boy open his palm as Jaune grinned madly at him.

"Got ya."

He gathered as much aura as he could into his palm as a ball of energy began to form before rapidly expanding. The beast's neck and body beginning to bulge as he poured everything he had into his attack. The air near vibrated with power before Jaune gave a mighty roar and unleashed a powerful aura shot inside the beast's belly.

The beast exploded like a large balloon as bits and pieces of it flew everywhere and Jaune was thrown back from the force and a large red dust cloud blanketed the arena.

The stadium when silent as the dust settled and Jaune lay on the ground, cradling his bleeding arm that sported large bite marks on his bicep. While the Grimm itself was no more than large chunks of black and glowing red meat. Black smoke already spewing from the chunks as the Lions large head lay still upon the ground.

The whole crowd stared, then erupted into a roar as they cheered for the champion. Cornelius letting out a huge breath as he sighed in relief. August was giddy, while Ivan stared before scowling and tightening his fists.

"What do you know, Ivan. Looks like the boy wasn't all luck after all?"

"So, what? It doesn't change my opinion of him."

"Eh, can't win them all. Anyway, please escort Mister Arc back to his cell and refit him with another control device. It was unexpected that he managed to short circuit one. But now we know they have a certain capacity limit." He sighed, "Which means I'll need to contact my supplier for a new one. Now off you go." He waved him off as Ivan merely scowled as he left to drag the boy back to his cell.

Jaune groaned in pain as a loud ringing reverberated in his ears. He looked over to the dead Grimm as what remained of its head lay near his side. "…if Yang was here, she would make a pun about losing your head or blowing away the competition…" He smirked a little before he rested his head back onto the ground.

"But I am in too much pain to care about that right now."

His eyes glanced down to the small device that had burnt out during his power-up.

' _So, these things can be overloaded…that's good to know. But after this little stunt, I doubt they're going to let me power up like that again.'_ The metal doors opened as Ivan and his men marched towards him, fully intending to drag him back to his cell.

' _Well…if I'm going to make my move…might as well be now?'_

Ivan stood over the boy as his men picked him up by the arms and held him before the man. "Well, congratulations…you survived another fight…how annoying. I had money on you dying this time." Ivan kneeled as he grabbed the boys chin and made him looked at the security chief. The boys head was relaxed as he just allowed the man to control his head.

"Oh well, you may have gotten lucky again. But eventually, you'll slip up and fall. You and your grandfather, then I can take satisfaction in watching the Arc Bloodline finally die out." Jaune at this moment gathered as much aura as he could, focused it on his teeth…

And bit down on the man's thumb.

"ARGH!" Ivan screamed in absolute pain, as Jaune bit down hard, the small appendage tearing off his hand as he fell back in screaming agony. While Jaune held the thumb in his mouth before he was quickly held down by the other guards.

Ivan, momentarily forgetting the pain of his missing appendage, marched over and held the boy by his throat. "You little shit! Give me back my thumb!" he demanded as Jaune held the piece inside his mouth…

Then swallowed it and grinned at the man.

 _'Oh, Gods! It's more disgusting then I thought!'_

Ivan stared in muted silence before he hollered on rage and began to beat the ever-living sense out of the boy. His fist impacting harshly across the young boys face again and again as pure rage blinded the man. Jaune merely took every single blow as he had no energy to fight back nor defend himself from his blows.

Ivan continued to beat his fist into the boy before a barrel was placed against his head.

"That's enough Ivan."

August's voice spoke over the speakers as his men had their guns trained on him.

 _"Whilst I'd normally allow you to beat our fighters any other day of the week. I cannot allow you to kill our main attraction just yet."_

Ivan looked down to the bloody and slightly swollen face of Jaune as the boy dangled helplessly from his right hand. Who only infuriated him more as Jaune grinned with his bloodied and bruised face.

 _"Please escort him back to his cell, and I promise you to get a replacement for your hand. He's earned his rest, now leave him be."_

Ivan hesitated for a moment, wanting nothing more than to beat the boy to death. But he knew his men were only loyal to cash, and they would turn on him the moment August offered them high pay. So reluctantly he let the boy go as he collapsed on the floor with a groan.

"Put this piece of shit in the holding cell! And put another God damn restraint on him! One that will negate that 'Weapons' Semblance of his"

Inwardly Jaune grinned as they recalibrated a new device and placed it on his chest. Good, he thought, they believed that was his semblance and not true his amplifying ability. Which meant that everything was going according to plan. He was picked up and dragged back to his cell while he held a small grin on his bloodied face. Which meant that soon, it was almost time.

To break the chains and escape this horrid place.

* * *

Two Days Earlier – Shion Village

* * *

Gaius Longinus – a now-former member of the Iron Wolves Recon Corps – was currently bound in a chair as several angry faces stood around him. His former commander, his former brothers in arms as well as the friends and family of one Jaune Arc. Oh, and two canine's that glared and growled at him.

A little over an hour ago, his little involvement in Jaune's kidnapping had come to light and he was forced to escape.

Not that he got very far before the parents of Jaune Arc managed to suppress and incapacitate him before he could even make it out of the doors. His jaw still ached from the insane punch the woman gave him.

Now, it seemed they wanted to interrogate him as to the location of Jaune. Of course, he knew where he was, he had been to the Blood Pits before. But there was no way he was going to tell them outright. Any good negotiator worth his weight knows that so long as he had what they needed; he could potentially see himself walking away if he played his cards right.

And he knew every trick in the book.

"I can't help but say I am very disappointed in you Gaius," Griswald spoke as he glared at him. "Every one of us trusted you, I trusted you. But what you've gone and done is unforgivable." He gripped his bicep as if to hold back his rage.

"The fact that we can no longer believe your story, has led me to believe that you had more of a hand in Bruno's death then we initially believed, didn't you?" He set his glare on the man who remained a stone face.

"…You've betrayed us. You've betrayed the Iron Wolves, and you've betrayed everything we stand for. Do you have anything to say?" Gaius pondered for a moment before he smirked.

"If I knew that Arc kid was going to be so much trouble, I should've asked for double."

"You piece of shit!" Roland slammed his hand on the wall behind Gaius as he glared at the man, not that the man was fazed by the brute display. "Where the hell is our son! Tell us, before we have to resort drastic measures!"

His hand glowed as Gaius felt the gravity around him increase. "I can force an imaginable amount of pressure on you. Enough to break your bones, rupture your organs and shatter your spine. So, tell me where my son is, and I promise you'll be spared."

"Oh~ looks like the captain's brat has all grown up? Drastic measure? Is that how your father raised you? I am a little disappointed in you Roland. You as well as anyone knows that drastic measures can only lead to one of two scenarios. Either A: You torture me for the information, which isn't a hundred per cent reliable and only wastes time: time you may not even have depending on where your little boy is."

Roland glared as he drew back his fist, only to be stopped by Qrow who shook his head. "Or B: You negotiate with me for the information and I _might_ consider telling you where he is." Pyrrha stormed up from her chair and held her blade his neck.

"We'll never negotiate with scum like you! Tell us where he is-" she pressed the blade closer to his neck drawing a small amount of blood. "Now!"

"Pyrrha!" everyone shouted while the man just grinned.

"Sure, go ahead, kill me. You do, and you never get to see him again." He pushed forward while she stepped back. "Unless you agree to _my terms._ Then I'll tell you where he is. Because trust me, I can take any pain you can give."

He was right. Despite the guy being a slimy scumbag, was still a member of the Iron Wolves. They were all trained to resist any form of interrogation they came across. They were some of the best of the best. And they knew he wasn't going to crack that easily.

"…Is that right?"

Everyone turned to Diana, sitting comfortably in a chair, as she had remained unusually calm throughout the entire interrogation. She brushed off a bit of lint off her pants before looking back to the man. "You truly can handle anything we can dish out?"

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "…Yes?"

Roland's eyes suddenly widened when he saw her stand up. "Oh boy." As all he spoke as he stood back, gesturing everyone to do the same.

This put Gaius on edge a little as Diana strolled her way towards him. A confident step in her stride before she stood before the man. "Let me guess, you believe yourself to be this 'badass warrior' as the kids would say and can handle anything, we throw at you?"

"…Y-Yes?" his confidence wavered slightly at the tone of her voice as she smiled sweetly at him. The same smile she gave him right before she punched him through several buildings.

"Well then…" she raised her finger as it glowed with her red aura. "Let's see how much you can truly handle?" She hovered the finger right over his shoulder before giving it a light tap.

Suddenly his entire sense was nearly overloaded with an unprecedented amount of pain. His entire muscles spasmed out of control and he briefly lost control of his bladder as a wet stain formed in his pains followed by his scream of unimaginable torment.

And just as quickly as it came, it left as he was left wheezing, sweating, crying and sucking in every last breath that he could catch. "W-What the hell was that!?"

"Oh…did I not mention my semblance? Sorry about that. You see, unlike my husband's semblance to manipulate gravity. My semblance is rather…unorthodox." She said with her sweet smile and voice.

"See my semblance is called 'Phantom Experience', what it does: it allows me to recall and use any pain I've experienced in my life to increase my strength. Depending on how painful that experience was. Normally I use my own pain, but I have used it to take the pain of others and add them to myself in the past…alternatively, I can also share my pain with others, whilst giving them no benefits other than the painful experience."

"This pain for example…" she applied her finger to his chest as he started gasping and convulsing before she stopped. "That was from when I was once stabbed on the gut by a bandit during my first year. And this pain…" she pressed again as he cried out on agony.

"Was when a Grimm managed to slice my back with its claws…I still have the scars to prove it. And this one…" She moved around as the man was whimpering. "This was when my teammate fell off a cliff and broke his legs. I took on the pain for him, but the experience still hurt me…" his breathing was shaky before she stood in front of him.

"S-So what? I've been through worst. Just making me experience this pain is like being back in the field. And I've felt worse. So, keep going, sweetheart, because I can do this all-day bitch. And then you can live with the fact your son died because you wasted your time."

Her eyelids dangerously narrowed, and a disturbingly sweet grin was plastered on her face.

"…Of course, you're right. You can keep this up all day...But did you know I have _eight_ wonderful and beautiful children? One of which you made disappear, _you little piece of shit_." She spoke calmly but terrifyingly that caused the traitor to shake in his boots.

"So…what I'm going to make you experience next…will make you _understand_ why I won't let anything stop me from finding my baby boy."

What followed next was an absolute scream of torment as he basically shits and pissed himself while convulsing in agonising pain. And just as quickly as it came like all the other painful moments, it was gone in an instant. His eyes wide with terror as he snapped his head to the woman.

"Want to try that again?"

"I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK! I SWEAR TO THE GODS ABOVE I'LL TALK! I SOLD HIM TO THE BLOOD PITS! IT'S AN ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND FIGHTING ARENA JUST WEST OF ARGUS! IT'S INSIDE A LARGE MOUNTAIN THAT USED TO BE AN ANCIENT COLOSSEUM! YOU CAN GET IN BY THE ENTRANCE ON THE WESTERN SIDE NEAR THE HANGER BAY! THERE'S A SMALL CAVE ENTRANCE! SO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS! DON'T MAKE ME EXPERIENCE ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN! WHAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the man blubbered as he told them everything.

"Pfft, wimp" Diana shook her head disappointingly while everyone else stared at her. When the man refused to stop crying, Diana whacked him on the back of the neck as he went limp.

"…Okay," Griswald said before he cleared his throat. "Well now that we know where he is, we can go after him. But still, I didn't realise he would be sent to the Blood Pits. I thought it was just a rumour?"

"Well it looks like that's not the case, even I heard about it during my… _old days_. It's supposed to be a large fighting arena where they pit those they captured against Grimm that's funnelled into the mountain." Qrow said as he took out his flask.

"I am assuming, this is going to be an all-out assault on the place, right?"

"Like you even have to ask?" Roland said as Qrow sighed and downed his flask.

"Well, storming a large facility like that is not going to be easy. My clan never went near that place, but from what I understand they're going to have some major security there. So, I'd think it be best if we contact Oz and get some reinforcements. Maybe even Ironwood and his tin-cans might be of use."

"So, then it's settled," Ruby spoke up as she placed her hands on the table. "We're all going to get Jaune. No questions asked?" everyone nodded around the room, fully determined to press ahead. "All right then…" she said as she pointed to the sky. "Let's go and save our friend!" she proclaimed as everyone cheered as well.

"Um, by the way, Mrs Arc?" Pyrrha asked as the woman smiled sweetly.

"Call me Diana dear."

"Right, um, Diana? What was it that you made him experience that was so painful?" she asked as everyone was curious, aside from Roland who paled slightly.

"Oh! I just made him experience all _Eight_ of my little babies coming into the world at once."

Everyone was frozen stiff and deathly pale as they stared at the sweet smiling woman who hummed a little tune to herself before walking out of the room.

"Man…Jaune's mum is scary~" Yang muttered as her friends nodded. "Good luck with having her as a Mother-in-law P-Money." Pyrrha would've remarked with embarrassment, but she was still too afraid and impressed with the woman to comment back.

"I like her!" Nora smiled.

"Of course, you would..." Wiess said while the men looked on in fear of the mother of eight.

"…Oobleck." Qrow spoke as the history teacher nodded.

"Yes, Qrow?"

"Remind me to never piss off Roland's wife."

"Deal."

* * *

Blood Pits Prison – Present Day

* * *

Jaune was dragged back to his cell as he was unceremoniously chucked to the floor, a painful cough exiting his mouth as he impacted the stone floor. "Jaune!" his grandfather instantly by his side as he held the boy up gently. "Jaune! are you all right?!"

The boy only groaned as he coughed a small amount of blood from his lips. The old man growled as he turned to the retreating guards. "You bastards! I'm going to kill you!" he roared while they laughed.

"That'll be the day, old man!" their laughs echoed down the hall while he glared.

"Men! Get some cloth! We need to make sure he's not bleeding!" he ordered as the men in the cell obeyed as they grabbed some clean cloth to dress his wounds. Jaune groaned as he slowly started to stand up.

"No Jaune, don't move. You need to rest; you lost a lot of blood out there. What the hell were you thinking? Biting Ivan's thumb off like that!?"

"I was…I was thinking I needed to get his thumb to open the door. N-Not originally what I had in mind, but…I've learnt to take advantage of any given situation." He slowly lumbered his way to the corner of the room.

"Jaune. We've tried taking their thumbs before. But it doesn't matter if we don't have the aura to match it. What you did got you beat up for no reason." He tried to reason with the boy who only nodded.

"Yeah…I've been thinking about that. Now be quiet, I needed to concentrate on this part." He stuck his fingers into the back of his mouth and tried to force them down. He started making a gagging noise before he fell to his knees.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

A loud wet splosh responded as the boy upheaved anything he had in his stomach onto the concrete floor. "L-Living up to my nickname. Bleurgh!" he vomited again as the contents spread over the floor. Once he was done, he started fishing around the pile before he found what he was looking for.

A severed human thumb.

He picked up the thumb as he started walking over to the door, wiping the gunk and filth off as he did. Cornelius tried to stop him, as the boy merely pushed him aside and kept going.

"Jaune that's not going to work. We don't have any way to get past the-!"

"That's the thing, Grandpa." He paused as the boy held the thumb on the pad. "I think I might have a way around it."

He concreated what aura he had left and poured it into his semblance and focused it on the small digit in his hand. "What are you?"

"I've been giving a lot of thought, to my semblance. I have the power to amplify my abilities using my raw aura as a power source. But not only that, I can give my aura to others to boost their own. But the thing is I'm not just giving my aura away…I'm boosting theirs. My aura no longer becomes mine it becomes someone else's…"

He held the thumb as it glowed with his aura.

"And I wonder if it's a spiritual or a biological component. Maybe one, or maybe the other, or maybe it's both. Our aura is apart of us. It's been infused with our body's, with our cells, with every tiny molecule of our entire being. Everyone's aura is unique. My Aura merely changes itself to match that uniqueness. And if that's the case, then hopefully there is a little bit of that left in the smallest part of ourselves…"

The thumb continued to glow white as for a moment he thought he was wrong.

When suddenly the aura changed colour to a dark blue before the ID scanner flashed green and the door swung open. Eyes widened and mouths gaped open while Jaune grinned at the stunned faces of his grandfather and fellow cellmates stated at the opened gate. He held the bloody thumb of the guard captain as his semblance still coursed through the appendage.

What Jaune had done was deemed impossible by many, foolish by some and crazy by all. But the results spoke for themselves as he had opened the doors to their freedom. He looked back as he gestured to the men.

"Come on," his voice broke them from their trance as he turned around and grinned at them. "You want to get out of here or what?"

* * *

Omake: Pet Play

* * *

While the humans planned their attack on the Blood Pits, the small canines of the group took this opportunity to get to know each other. See, Fenrir grew up most of his life in the Black Forest and had never seen another fellow canine other than his parents. There used to be other wolves in the Forest, but they all died out last year in the wintertime.

Due to this, the young pup had grown up without any other forms of companionship, no fellow wolf pup to have as a friend and play with. It was why when he first found his master that he was so curious about him. He finally had someone new to play with.

But since his master was taken from him, that stupid human that betrayed them was so going to get bitten again, he was lonely again.

Luckily it seemed that this 'dog' named Zwei was willing to get to know the small wolf pup. And oh boy, he was having the time of his life.

~ (For the following duration Zwei and Fenrir's words will be translated for your viewing pleasure.) ~

'Hello! I am called Zwei! What is your name!' the small Corgi barked as the small wolf looked up from his spot on the couch.

'Hello, Zwei! I am called Fenrir! My master named me, and I hope to see him soon!' the small wolf looked a tad depressed as he thought about his master.

'Nice to meet you Fenrir! 'I know what you mean. I would be sad too if my master's Ruby and Yang went missing.' He gestured to the two at the table. 'But if I know my masters, they won't stop until they get him back!' the small wolf pup seemed to smile at this.

'Hey, Zwei! Why does that black hair human smell like a cat? She seems nice!' the small wolf said as they gestured to Blake who was casting cautious gazes between the two mutts.

'I know! I want to play with her! But she always runs from me!' memories of him trying to play with the woman always caused her to strangely shriek and run away from him. But no matter where she hid, he always found her. He was a good tracker!

'I know! How about I help talk to her! Maybe she's just scared!' the small wolf suggested as Zwei wagged his tail.

'That is a good idea!' the two canines bark playfully while Blake narrowed her eyes at them.

"…They're up to something…" she accused as she leaned back from them, even though they were on the other side of the room. "I don't like it."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Blake, they're just dogs. They're not plotting anything. You need to get over this absurd fear of them."

"I kind of agree with Weiss Cream. I mean look at them." Yang pointed to the two dogs as they rolled around together. "They're so adorable. How could you ever hate something so cute?"

"…It's a trick. They want to lower your guard before they strike. Mark my words, one of these days they're going to make their move and then Bam! They'll bite. Just like Miss Organa's shih tzu terrier…" memories of a child Blake and her neighbours' dog flooded her mind as the vicious animal (in her memory) savagely bit her finger when she was playing with the mutt.

She would never forgive that tiny mutt…never!

"…You have some serious problem girl." Nora said while Ren elbowed the girl.

"Also, I was attacked by a few guard dogs during my White Fang Days, left some scars here and there…does not help my situation."

"Ah~" everyone responded.

'Okay! Let's go and be friends with her!' Zwei barked as Fenrir nodded.

'Okay!'

Both pups bounded towards the girl as a happy aura floated around them. Pure cuteness radiating off them as they wanted nothing more than to play with the cat scented girl and to be her bestest friend! Blake, on the other hand, could only see pure evil and malice as they came 'barking' over to her with pure murderous intent in their eyes. Which was why she responded as follows…

"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" she screeched as she began to run away from cute dogs chasing her. "NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" she screamed while running all around the room.

"GET THESE MUTTS AWAY FROM ME! NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Everyone else was just stunned as they watched from the side-lines. "Uh…shouldn't we do something?" Ruby asked.

"Later, after I get enough footage to blackmail her for a month. This is comedy gold!" Yang laughed as she held her scroll up.

"You are the worst Xiao-Long," Weiss stressed as the blond bomber waved her off.

"I know…but this, is the best"

"NYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

 **And Scene. Dear God, finally Chapter Two is done. (Note when I write this it would've been a month or two since the last chapter and trying to write three chapters at once is exhausting.) But I did it, chapter two is done. What do you think of Diana's semblance? Should I leave it in or take it out? With how many semblances there are out there, and how ridiculous some of them sound, I wasn't sure whether or not I should add it in or not.**

 **Next chapter Jaune and his friends reunite I swear to god. Which was why I dedicated myself to making three chapters at once. I hope you all enjoy them.**

 **Chapter XV – Return to the Light**


	15. Chapter XV: Return to the Light

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **AN – Just a Recap of Jaune's Aura Powers.**

 **Current Powers:**

 **Soul Sabre – A sword of Aura, comes in two forms: Proto-Sabre and Enhanced Form when Semblance is applied.**

 **Soul Shard – Dagger version.**

 **Armament – coating a limb in aura, as a basic weapon to impale his enemies. A standard technique for Huntsman weaponry, Jaune applies it to his limb instead.  
**

 **Sentinel – A circular shield made of light that can deflect and absorb attacks. (Based off Pyrrha's shield).**

 **Aura Shot – a concreated energy blast of aura.**

 **Pulse – A pulse of aura that is standard.**

 **Wolf Claws – a set of Gauntlet and Greaves that form around Jaune's limbs that increase strength and agility. Can also be combined with Soul Sabre to create bladed versions.**

 **Eagles Bow – A bow of Aura that has near unstoppable penetration and range.**

 **Wolves Howitzer – creates a powerful blast of aura that rockets a man far across the field and leaves a set of fang marks upon the victim. Causes massive internal damage to the victim.**

 **New Power:**

 **Shot Hammer – Creating a hammer similar to Nora's weapon. The hammer combines the blunt effectiveness of a hammer, with the added velocity of an Aura Shot to unleash a devastating blow.**

 **Wolf Fangs – coating his teeth in Aura, he can increase his biting strength to rip a man's thumb off. (Not recommended)**

* * *

Chapter XV – Return to the Light

* * *

Beacon Academy – A Day Earlier – 15:10 hours

* * *

It was only a few hours ago that Ozpin was contacted by Qrow informing him if the recent development concerning the recovery of Jaune Arc. It appeared that the boy had been captured, betrayed by a now ex-member of the Iron Wolves, and sold into the deadly sporting arena. Ozpin stared at the layout of the Blood Pit as he, Glynda and a Hologram of Qrow and Ironwood as they looked over the blueprints, they managed to dig up from the archives on the ancient blood arena.

"Are we sure this intel is correct? Mister Arc is being held at this location?"

" _From what that traitor told us; this is the place. The Blood Pits – a nasty little reminder of our dark past. I thought this place was supposed to have been shut down seventy years ago after the Great war?"  
_

"It would appear that was not the case. They must have used re-established it after the death of the Warrior King and kept it under the radar. Without proper investigations, it must've gone unnoticed for decades."

Ozpin curled his fists as he thought that he had effectively shut it down during his former incarnations time. But after he died, and reincarnated, he had to help focus on rebuilding the kingdoms after the Great War and establishing the local governments without Kings or Queens.

It seemed that by doing that he had inadvertently allowed this gruesome sport to flourish in his absents.

Another mistake he lived to regret.

" _Captain Griswald Reinhold also confirmed this when he went through all of Gaius' possessions and found corresponding messages between him and the arena. A large sum of money was also deposited into an offshore account around the same time Mister Arc went missing. It fits with the time and confirms his story. This is where Mister Arc is located."_

Ironwood observed as he looked over the hologram.

" _It's not going to be easy. These diagrams are old, who knows how much has changed over the past seventy years. They will no doubt have updated their security and will not be an easy fight."_

Qrow smirked as he looked over the place.

" _Geez, and here I thought you 'Atlas Specialists' are supposed to be the 'cream of the crop'. Assaulting places like this are standard for us Huntsman. Or has Atlas forgotten that since you turned your Academies into a military?"_

Ironwood scowled at the man before he returned to the conversation.

 _"I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm saying it's not going to be easy. In my opinion, I recommend we'd deploy a small fleet to attack the facility. But there are no fleets close enough to deploy if what is rumoured about this place is true. For all we know, by the time we have a fleet deployed, mister Arc might already be dead."_

"Mister Arc has survived worse. I believe that he will have held out longer than expected. But you are right, we can't afford to wait for a fleet."

"And we can't use Mistral's huntsman. A lot of them have been reported missing since the raid on Cinder's warehouse. It seemed that Leonardo had managed to cripple most of their defences before he was killed." Glynda noted as the amount of Mistralian Huntsman that was listed as M.I.A were staggering.

So many lives, lost. While they were having a dance.

"Still hard to believe Leo could betray us like that." She mused as she thought about the former Headmaster.

"What's done is done. What matters now is locating Mister Arc and getting him home as soon as possible." Ozpin reassured them as he folded his hands on top of his cane. "Now, how will you be going about this assault Qrow?"

 _"I and the retrieval team will be going in through the main entrance here. I would rather my nieces weren't anywhere near the fight, but knowing them and their friends, I doubt they will give us any choice. The Iron Wolves will be providing support, while we search the place for the kid."_

" _I still don't like it. You could be severally outnumbered and outgunned. You could be walking into a death trap."_

Ironwood stated as he looked over the plan.

" _Well, unless you know where we can get another army close to us in less than 24 hours, I am all ears."_

Ozpin pondered before he pulled up the map and looked at its location. "We might not get you another army, but we may be able to provide you with additional support." They all turned to him as he showed him the map.

"Argus is within the distance of the Blood Pits and is currently held by the Atlas Government. Perhaps we could request the assistance of the naval base to provide support?"

Ironwood thought for a moment before his face scrunched up.

" _I…I know the commander of that base. She's…overly_ _ **patriotic**_ _and difficult to work with. She's not someone the rest of the military likes to affiliate with. It's part of the reason we had her stationed out in Argus and far away from the main Kingdom. She's been known to overact to a situation and once deployed the Base's Colossus on minor incidents."_

 _"Wow. And I thought there wasn't anyone that could annoy you?  
_

"Regardless, will she able to assist?" Ozpin asked the General nodded.

" _I believe so, yes, she can assist. I'll have to organise with the Council to authorise her to spare some troops and ships to assist in the assault. She'll be more than happy to help if she's told it's for the glory of the Atlas Kingdom."_

"… _Are all of you as overly eager, or just the ones in the military?"_

Ozpin nodded. "Get on it, James. I'll contact the Mistral Council and request permission to allow Atlas troops to be deployed. If we tell them it's to root out a slaving ring, which it is, we can avoid an international incident." He suggested as Ironwood nodded.

" _I'll contact Specialist Cordovin, have her best troops locked and loaded by the time you get there. Hopefully, we'll have boots on the ground within 24 hours."  
_

" _Whatever tin-man. Just make sure your windup soldiers are there. And if there are other captives, we_ _ **will**_ _be rescuing them. Human or otherwise"_

" _Understood. I'll make sure Cordovin knows this as well."_

Ozpin nodded as he looked to his inner circle. "This operation must not fail. Mister Arc maybe our only link to finding out what else Salem is planning. Regardless if he does have relative information, we must bring him home. We must extract him. Failure…is not an option." They all nodded as Qrow and Ironwoods images faded.

Glynda turned to the man as he sat back down at his desk and laced his fingers tighter. "Headmaster, are you all right?"

"Nothing Miss Goodwitch, just nervous. Funny, I haven't been nervous in over a hundred years now…but everything's changed. We managed to hold her back. We foiled one of her plots before they could come to fruition. It's given me hope for the first time in a long time."

"I understand Headmaster. But I'm sure that one day this war will come to an end. Whatever you have planned, I promise you we'll be right beside you"

He didn't know how many times he had heard those words. How many times he had those that placed their trust in him, only to either die believing him or turn their backs on him once they knew the truth. That for the last thousand years he had no plan to stop Salem, he had no master strategy to end this shadow war. Just the same old tactics he had for the last thousand years.

Observe her movements, protect what he could, defend where he stood and hide when he must.

It was the same tactic that had kept the Relics safe, but had also cost him the lives of many. Including those closest to him. But he had just as long as to steel his heart and ease his conscience.

Hopefully this time he may finally find a way to beat her.

"Thank you, Miss Goodwitch…thank you."

The woman nodded as she left him alone. Once again, he was alone with his thoughts. With the thousands of years of knowledge, memories and guilt that he carried within his many, many souls. He breathed a sighing breath and looked out to the world. The Relic's words still echoing within his memory, but heavier than before.

"Let's hope that whatever Mister Arc found out there, is key to our survival."

* * *

A Day Earlier form the Present – A tavern Outside of the Blood Pits – 19:46 Hours

* * *

A glowing tentacle-like creature floated before him as Tyrian bowed to the image in its head. "My Queen, I'm eager to report that I have located new contacts and recruits to join our ranks. Most of them I know, others have a reputation that would be most pleasing to you, my Queen."

" _ **Excellent work Tyrian. But I doubt you called me just to inform me of new assets. What is the true purpose of this call?"**_

"I am also pleased to report that I have located the one responsible for the Invasions failure. He is currently held within the Blood Pits. I attempted to barter for him, but August is being…difficult to negotiate and has refused to sell him. I humbly ask for your guidance."

" _ **I see…well…if he cannot be negotiated with. Then he must be…removed. I've long since detected the negative emotions that radiated from that place. I will use it to summon more Grimm to assist you in acquiring this person. They will be ready within 24 hours."**_

"That is not all I discovered my Goddess." She raised a curious eyebrow as he grinned from ear to ear. "I also discovered his identity. He is a student from Beacon Academy, by the name of Jaune Arc. He was supposedly lost within the Black Forest but has somehow made it out alive."

"…"

"My Queen?"

"… _ **Interesting. I didn't think it was possible to escape from that place. And you said he was an Arc? curious …very well, as I've stated before I want him brought to me, alive. If he was in the Black Forest, then he may have stumbled upon one of the Ancient Ruins that is buried in that place. Bring him to me and do not disappoint me."**_

The creature slithered away as Tyrian was left alone with his thoughts before he grinned and walked back to his 'apprentice' as the young man stood by one of the trees. "Get ready, my young ward. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day."

* * *

City of Mistral – A day Earlier – 23:52 Hours

* * *

"Are you sure this intel is correct?" Cinder asked as the blond woman before she handed her a document. Containing everything on the White Wolf.

"As sure as I am supple, dearie. The young man you're looking for is currently being held in the Blood Pits. A nasty little sporting arena just West of Argus. It seems your friend there got himself mixed up with some bandit trouble and got thrown in there. I don't like blood sports, too violent for my taste. But if you want to see him get killed, there should be an AirBus that can take you to him."

She slid another folder to her. "Just go the docks, look for an unmarked airship and tell him the phrase – _'The Sands Run Red',_ give a little bit of coin, and he'll take you to the place."

"Thank you. This will be very useful." Cinder said as she got up to leave.

"Word of advice. I'd hurry if I were you." She stopped as she turned back to the woman and gave her a curious look.

"Why?"

"Because the likelihood of that man you're looking for is still alive is slim to none. Most of the poor souls that get thrown into that place never see the light of day again. If he's managed to stay alive, then he must either be the luckiest bastard to walk this earth…or the dumbest." She smirked.

"Not to mention there are… _others_ , that are currently looking for him." Cinder narrowed her eyes dangerously as she glared at the woman.

"What. Others?" she hissed through her teeth as the portly lady chuckled to herself.

"…Bad ones." Cinder immediately bolted from the bar as she stormed her way to the docks.

She had a bad feeling in her gut, as she was almost certain of who was after her target. But why? Why would Salem assign her this task of correcting her mistake if she was just going to send someone else to clean it up?

' _It's because you failed her'_

A little voice whispered in her ear.

' _She doesn't believe in you anymore and already knows you'll fail her. To her, you're nothing but a broken tool…ready to be thrown away.'_

She growled as for a brief moment she summoned a sword of glass and sliced an innocent lamp post in half, causing the light to flicker on her face as it was twisted into a sneering and angry expression.

"We'll see about that!"

* * *

Blood Pits – Present Day – 13:12 Hours

* * *

Jaune grinned at the stunned faces of his grandfather and fellow cellmates stated at the opened gate. He held the bloody thumb of the guard captain as his semblance still coursed through the appendage.

What Jaune had done was deemed impossible by many, foolish by some and crazy by all. But the results spoke for themselves as he had opened the doors to their freedom. He looked back as he gestured to the men.

"Come on," his voice broke them from their trance. "You want to get out of here or what?"

This broke them out of their stupor as they nodded and began to pile out of the cells. "Jaune, how did you know that would work?" his grandfather asked as he shrugged.

"I didn't, just taking a wild guess. I always had that theory about my semblance, never really got the chance to experiment with it. But that can wait, now we can get out of here. You said you mapped out this entire place, right?" Cornelius nodded.

"Then the first thing we need to do is get to the armoury and the control centre. Shut down the rest of the security, get these dampeners off and free everyone else. Cause as long as we have these on. We ain't getting nowhere." The old man said as he pointed down the hall. "The control centre should be down the hall, to the left and three doors to the right. The Armoury is located right next to it, we can arm ourselves while taking the control centre." Jaune nodded as the last of their cellmates exited.

He stumbled slightly as his grandfather caught him. "Easy Jaune, you're not in any state to be walking around."

"I'll be fine, we just need to get to the command centre. Once we disable these things, I'll have full control of my aura. Don't worry about me." Jaune argued as he released himself from his grasp and made his way out the cell while his grandfather eyed him with concern.

He closed the door as others begged him to release them.

"I'm sorry. I don't have enough strength left to free you all. But I promise you will get out of here!" he said in a hushed tone to quite them. "Just wait here, and when the doors open run, meet us at the armoury. Once that happens, we burn this place to the ground." He ordered as they reluctantly agreed.

"Jaune, let's go!" Cornelius said as he and the others began to move down the hall. Jaune looked back one last time before following his grandfather.

They moved as carefully as they could down the narrow passageways of the Pit. While their dampeners could not track them, they still had the power to incapacitate them if they were spotted.

"It should be around the corner here," Cornelius said as he and the others hugged the wall to their backs.

Jaune peeked around the corner as two guards stood in front of the doors.

"Shit, we've got two guards at the command centre. We need to get them away if we want to get inside the command centre." Suddenly a loud boom drew their attentions as the two guards were radioed and they moved towards the eastern entrance.

"…Huh…that's convenient?"

"What the hell was that?" Jaune asked.

"Think about it later, right now we need to get to that command centre." Cornelius reminded as Jaune and the others nodded and marched towards the doors. They placed themselves on either side as if prepared to breach.

Cornelius pulled a spoon from his pocket, that he painstakingly polished to a reflective surface, and peeked under the door. Looking around he surveyed the room. "Okay, it looks like there is a total of four hostiles. Two of them are armed with small firearms, while the others are just technicians." He looked over to the able-bodied men.

"You two go for the technicians, while I take down the guards. Jaune, stay behind us and don't do anything reckless." He ordered as the men nodded.

"Okay, but how are we going to get in?"

"I've got a way around that." His grandfather smirked as he and the others took their positions next to the door. He then reached out and…

Knocked on the door?

Jaune shook his head and palmed his face. "This is never going to work." He muttered as they waited for someone to answer.

Luckily Jaune was proven wrong as one of the guards opened the door. "Yeah?"

One of them asked before he was swiftly hit in the face and disarmed, bending his arm back. Cornelius took this moment to grab the weapon and used it against them. He shot the second man as his body fell to the floor while his fellow inmates rushed in and tackled the technicians before they could reach the controls.

He quickly scanned the room for any more combatants before he gestured Jaune to follow him inside. Then knocked out the restrained guard and dragged his body into the room.

"Quick, barricade the door! Who knows who heard that noise and we may have to hold ourselves up until we can figure out the codes?" He ordered before gesturing to a locker. "grab those guns and vests from the locker and arm yourselves."

Two of the others nodded as they quickly pulled down the file cabinets and barricade the door.

Cornelius then turned to the two technicians and pointed the gun at them. "Okay you two, how do we shut down the restraints?!" he demanded as he aimed his gun at them.

One of the men was too scared to answer and only came out in complete gibberish. His partner, on the other hand, was a little more confident as he grinned at them.

"What is this, a prison break? It's a pretty poor attempt at that. What do you think, we're going to just give you the codes? Fat chance. Any minute now one of the guards are going to hear all this and come running with his activator, then you won't be the one pointing a gun at us."

"We broke out before; we can do it again," Jaune said as the technician smirked.

"Fat chance. Don't know how you managed to get out of your cells but once back up arrives, there won't be any cells for you. You'll all be gunned down and killed." Cornelius pointed the gun at his head and pulled the hammer back.

"Well, then I suggest you tell us the codes before I do something drastic and put a bullet in your head." He threatened as the man smirked.

"Like I said, fat chance...The only way you're going to get those things off you is if you're dead. And you can't risk killing any of us, because we have the codes. So, go ahead and do your worse. Because there is no way any of us are going to unlock those bolts." He sniped as Cornelius grew frustrated with the man.

Jaune meanwhile looked over to the large complicated looking machine as his gaze wandered over all the buttons and knobs as the flashed in sequence.

It would take any skilled technician at least a few minutes to figure out such a piece of complex machinery, and even longer to decipher the codes to access the systems. And alas, none of them was that skilled in technology. This machine was a state of the Atlas designed control system that ran just about everything.

From the restraints to the doors, the generators and even the passageway for the Grimm.

It was the control to everything in the place, and there was no way they were going to figure it out in time.

Right up until Jaune said, "…Eh, fuck it. I'm just going to Nora it."

Before anyone could question or stop him, he grabbed one of the assault rifles from the locker and unloaded an entire clip into the console. The device sparking and exploding as thirty rounds decimated the machine.

For a moment nothing happened until the entire room was bathed in red lights. The devices on their chests began to beep before they fell off and cluttered to the floor. Around the complex, multiple cell doors, restraints and doors began to open as emergency lights began to flash.

"Huh…that actually worked?" his aura flashed across his body as the bite marks in his arm solely faded into scars as he felt full control over his aura. "Ah, good to be back."

"Y-You idiot! Do you have any idea what you've just done!?" the technician yelled as Jaune smirked while kicking the machine.

"I just shut down your little control device, is what I did."

"You also just initiated the emergency release systems and opened every doorway from here to the tunnels! Including the Grimm Cells! The Grimm will overrun this place in a matter of minutes!" distant howls and screams echoed as gunfire resonated with it. "Not to mention those machines were the only things keeping the Dust Generators functioning properly! Without regulation, they will overload and blow this place to kingdom come!"

"…Oh…Whoops?"

"It doesn't matter. We were always planning to blow this place up anyway. Just means we have a time limit." Cornelius reassured him and tuned to the techs. "How long until this place blows up?"

"U-Uh, 30 minutes at the most until the Generators reach critical mass."

"Good, then we'll have some time to spare." He said and knocked out the technicians before turning to the men as more of them made their way from the cells.

"Okay, everyone that can fight grabs those rifles and vests. It looks like we're going to have to fight our way out. The wounded will be in the middle while the fighters will cover the rear and our flanks. We'll even take these two with us. Their jerks, but unarmed jerks."

They nodded as they began to arm themselves with the weapons and gear from the arms lockers. Jaune grabbing a black t-shirt and slipping it over his still-healing injuries. Grunting slightly as he pulled it over. Cornelius notice this as he grabbed a vest from the rack and handed it to Jaune.

"Put this on, you're in no condition to be fighting. It's the latest from Atlas, should keep you safe from stray gunfire." He instructed as Jaune grabbed the vest and placed them on.

"You know, for such an advance Kingdom. They sure do lose their stuff a lot, don't they?" Cornelius chuckled at that.

"Yeah, they do huh?" He paused when he saw Jaune grab a rifle as he placed his hand on the barrel. "Are you sure about that Jaune? We'll more than likely be going up against a lot of armed men, and you will have to take another human's life-!"

"It's okay Grandpa." He cocked back the bolt and loaded the mag. "I've already killed before."

He looked into his grandsons' eyes as all he saw in them was the truth. He had taken another human life before. He had experienced the first true kill as a Huntsman. It pained him, but it also relieved him. Knowing that he won't freeze at the moment.

"Okay…But still, stay behind me and do exactly as I say, got it?" Jaune nodded as he locked and loaded.

"Do you think they still have our equipment around here?" Jaune asked as he looked over the armoury for any sign of his weapons and armour.

"Fat chance, by now they would've either melted them down or sold off anything we owned. No chance in retrieving them."

"But Grandpa, the armour I had. It's the one you left for me at the Edge." Cornelius sighed as he shook his head and patted his shoulder.

"It's okay Jaune, it's just gear. What matters is getting out alive. We can always make some new ones." Jaune nodded as Cornelius turned to the men. "All right everyone!" he called out.

"When I was brought here, they had a huge hanger full of ships, located on the West section of the facility. That's our ticket out of here. Watch the corners and check your fire. Kill anyone that tries to get in our way, Grimm and Augusts men. We are getting out of here, just like I promised." The men nodded as they began to move.

"Can we trust them?" Jaune asked, he had only been here for half a week and didn't fully know the men that his grandfather now commanded. "Some of them used to be bandits, right? How do we know they won't try to turn on us?" he asked.

"We can, and I trust them with my life. It's true that out there, they were once bandits, soldiers, farmers and prisoners. All of us have either been betrayed, forgotten or abandoned. But in here…" the men around him removed some bandages from their arm as they all sported wolf heads carved into their flesh.

"We're all brothers...We're all Wolves."

Jaune stared before nodding, lifting his rifle and following the men into the hall. Roars grew louder as the sound of Grimm began to descend upon them, "This is it, men!" Cornelius yelled as they aimed their weapons.

"Give them hell!"

Gunfire drowned and Grimm bodies began to litter the floor, as the battle of the Pits had begun.

* * *

August's Office

* * *

All across the Blood pits, terrified screams of bandits, corrupt businessmen and slave traders echoed out as they were torn to pieces by the Grimm that started flooding the stands. Some of them tried to fight them off, but there was too many of them and they were quickly being overrun.

All while in his VIP box, August looked out in pure horror as his stadium was being consumed by flames and darkness.

"What the hell is going on!" August yelled as the sirens and the red lights flashed. Ivan growled as he turned to the guard next to him.

"Report! What the hell is going on!?"

"There's been a prison break! All the prisoners managed to get out of their cells! There's rioting all over the facility! They've armed themselves!"

"What!?" August screamed. "How is that possible! They shouldn't even be able to move if the security system is up!"

"They took control of the command centre! They unlocked every door in the place! Including the cells to the Grimm and the tunnels!" he informed as August began to pale considerably. "We're also getting reports that Atlas Soldiers and Huntsman are storming the base! It's a full-on siege!"

"W-We have to get out of here! If those beasts make up here, they'll tear us to shreds! Worse if those prisoners find us!" he ran to his safe as he began to unlock and stow all the cash, he could grab into a duffle bag.

"Who's leading the prison riot!?" Ivan demanded as he waited for confirmation.

"Reports indicate it's being led by Cornelius Arc and his grandson the White Wolf! They're making they're to the hanger bay!" Ivan growled as he grabbed at his thumb-less hand.

"Arc…Get a team and meet me at the entrance to the Hanger bay. We'll cut off their escape and box them in. Its time I extinguished that bloodline."

"W-What!? Screw that! We have to get the hell out of here!" August said as he stumbled to grab his possessions. "We need to cut our losses and make it to the shuttle-!" Ivan placed his sword at his throat and glared at the man.

"No! I will do what I should've done ages ago and kill the old man and his brat!" he gestured to his men. "You can run, but I'm not leaving until I see the Arc's blood stains these sands." He gestured to his men as they all left, and August breathed a shaky sigh of relief.

He continued to stash as much as he could. He had to get away as fast as he could and as far as he could. If he was arrested by the soldiers, he would be tried for multiple counts of human rights violations and imprisoned for the rest of his life. If the Grimm found him, he would be ripped to shreds simple as that. But if the prisoners found him…

Well, even he dared not to think about what they would want to do to him.

"Hopefully I'll be long gone before any of them find me!" he stumbled as he hefted his loot and ran for his life.

* * *

The fighting continued as Cornelius led his men down the passageways. They encountered multiple hostiles both Grimm and Human as they were forced to fight their way to the shuttles. Bullets whizzing all around as they continued to push forward.

"Lay down suppressing fire!" Cornelius yelled as he and the others continued to fight. "Ryu! Cover that left flank!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Reznov! Push up!"

"Affirmative!"

Jaune aimed down the sight of the assault rifle as he fired at the enemy. While not the same as his old rifle, he still missed that weapon, the assault rifle wasn't too bad. A little more recoil then he was used to, but he adjusted.

"Jaune! Move it up!" he nodded as he and the others pushed on.

When they rounded a corner, their eyes widened as the guards had a rough MG placement at the end of the hall. "MG!" one of them yelled as they dived back to cover, only for two of them to fall to the rapid firing weapon.

"Shit! That gun's going to tear us to pieces! We can't get through!"

Cornelius peeked over before he snapped back behind cover. "Shit! I can't get a clean shot!" he looked back as the rearguard hold off the Grimm that was attempting to outflank them.

"Double shit! We can't go back!"

Jaune looked around the corner as a plan came to mind.

"Grandpa! What's your semblance!?"

"I have Telekinesis! But I need to concentrate to use it and I can't do that with that gun pinning us down! Why!?"

"I'm going to draw its fire! You take out the gunner when I give you the chance!" Jaune summoned Sentinel to his arm as the aura shield took form.

"Wait for-! Jaune no!" he called out too late as the boy ran out of cover and drew its fire. "God damn idiot!" he cursed as he concentrated on the gunner.

Jaune's aura shielding rattled and cracked as multiple rounds impacted on the large white shield. His arms shook and his legs nearly buckled as the rounds impacted against the construct. He flooded the shield with his semblance as slowly moved to the right and gave his grandfather the moment he needed.

The gunner was grinning before he suddenly felt himself weightless and floating in the air. "W-What the hell!?" was all he could say before a gunshot blew his brains out and several more shots took out his men.

Ryu peered down his sights before he nodded to Cornelius.

"Clear!" he yelled as the man dropped his hand and he cut off his semblance. Jaune sighed a breath of relief before he felt a hand chop the top his head and his grandfather glared at him.

"Don't you ever do something that reckless again!"

"Sorry, a force of habit"

Cornelius groaned as he palmed his face. "Doesn't matter, MG's down and now we have a path to the hanger." He patted his shoulder. "Good Job." He praised as Jaune smiled. "But don't do that kind of shit again, got it. Not unless we have to."

"Yes, grandpa."

"By the way, when this over. You got to tell me how you can do that shit." Jaune chuckled.

"When we get out. I'll write a whole book about it." Cornelius chuckled as well before he gestured to the men.

"We're moving out! There will be a large open area up ahead before the Hanger! Check your targets and watch your backs!" he ordered as they continued down the hall.

They reached a large door as they knocked it down the doors. They pointed their guns to a large area with multiple columns holding the ceiling up. "ARC!" they stopped as Ivan and his men stood before them. A look of outright fury on his face as he and his men opened fire on the group.

"Take cover!" Jaune yelled as they all dived for cover behind the columns.

Gunfire littered the air as Ivan and his mercenaries, fought against the prison rioters. Bullet casings lining the floor as Ivan was determined to end the Arc's once and for all. "This guy holds a grudge, huh!?"

"Tell me about it!" Cornelius said before his eyes widened as the man draw a large axe from his back as lightning dust surged around the blade.

With freighting speed, the man threw the axe as it came rapidly towards them. "Get down!" he yelled as the axe slammed through the columns and managed to decapitate several prisoners. "Fuck!" Jaune cursed as he was separated from the others.

The Axe suddenly flew back as it was pulled by a long cable. Ivan glared as he gestured to his men. "Take care of the others." He set his sights on the young Arc. "The boy is mine."

Several men drew their bladed weapons as they charged at the prisoners. Their aura's protecting them as they fought against the captive gladiators. "Jaune!" Cornelius yelled as he tried to rush to his grandson but was blocked as two men stood before him.

"You die here, old man!" they simultaneously said and drew their blades.

Cornelius just glared as he raised his rifle and glared at them and began to fight them off.

Jaune shook the cobwebs from his head as he felt a large presence behind him before he swiftly dodged a large axe from cleaving him into two. Ivan growled as he dislodged the axe and glared at the boy.

"I'm going to enjoy this boy." His prosthetic thump scrapping the handle of his axe.

Jaune glared back as he aimed his rifle and fired multiple rounds at the man. They impacted against his aura but did little to stop him as swung his axe at the boy. Jaune barely managed to avoid his swing as continued to fire at the man. The gun suddenly clicked empty as Jaune cursed and chucked the weapon aside.

"Ha! All out of bullets boy!"

Jaune merely glared as he held his hand out and summoned Soul Sabre in his palm, grasping the aura blade tight. "But not out of the fight!" Jaune replied as he held the blade in his hand. Ivan glared as he charged at the boy.

Jaune and Ivan swung at the same time, as aura blade clashed with electrified steel. A small shockwave blasting out as the two warriors glared at each other. Ivan screamed as he swung his axe rapidly at the boy, who did his best to dodge, deflect and strike at the man. But with his aura still healing his wounds from the Nemean Lion, it wasn't an easy fight.

Ivan himself had no form to his attacks as he just swung blindly in a rage. intent on killing the boy that bit his thumb off and making him suffer slowly and painfully as possible.

Jaune summoned Sentinel to his arm and used it to deflect another of Ivan's swings. He swung his blade at the man as the aura-based weapon managed to damage a chunk of the man's aura, who only growled angrier than before.

Jaune managed to avoid another swing but grunted as his chest felt like it was on fire. The Lions claw marks still hadn't fully healed up and he was using his aura to keep him from passing out.

"I should've killed you the moment you were brought to this place, but no! August wanted to use you! Wanted to keep making money off your stupid fights!" He swung his axe as Jaune blocked with his shield. "And look how much trouble you've caused!"

He swung the Axe as it impacted on the shield and caused a crack to form.

"But I'm not going to make the same mistake! I'm going to end you once and for all!" he swung again as Jaune had to focus all his attention on the shield as the massive man's blows were too strong to fully deflect.

"I'm going to kill you! Bleed you dry and leave you for the buzzards!" another crack formed as Jaune was forced to his knees. His eyes glanced to his stolen dagger, as his mind raced with a plan.

"And then I'll hunt down every single one of you Arcs and finally avenge my clan! The one you and your family destroyed forty years ago!" another blow landed as the shield crumbled and Jaune fell on his back.

"And then the 'Legend of the White Wolf' will die with you!" he screamed as he raised his axe high.

"Jaune!" Cornelius yelled as he made short work of the men and ran to stop him, only to watch the axe descend in slow-motion.

Jaune only had seconds as he quickly gathered his aura into his palm and released a bright flash of light. "Gah!" Ivan yelled from blinding light as the axe missed by a hair. He rolled between his legs before he summoned another Sabre in his hand and sliced across his back.

Ivan screamed in pain as he tried to swing around and kill him, only for the blade to slice off his right arm and slash across his chest. Causing him to fall to his knees. Jaune used this momentum to grab his hand-forged dagger from his belt and stabbed right into his eye and into his brain. His body fell to the floor as Jaune stood over him with heavy breath.

"I'm not dead yet." He reached down and pulled the dagger from his head before sheathing it to his belt.

Jaune breathed a calming breath before falling to his knees. His body ached, and his muscles were stretched to the limit. His hands stained in the man's blood before he felt a shadow over him as he looked to see his grandfather's concerned gaze before he shook his head.

"I'm fine grandpa…just need to catch my breath." He nodded.

"Okay, but we need to hurry. We still don't know how much longer we have till the generators-!" a loud explosion resonated at the far end of the facility and caused the room to shake. "Well, I guess that answers that question!" Jaune picked up a spare rifle and aimed down the hall.

"Get those doors open now!" he yelled as they tried to bust down the door.

"We can't! The bastard welded them shut!" one of them yelled as they noticed the melted metal on the door.

"Son of a bitch! We need to find another way!" Grimm roars sounded behind them as the shadows of the ancient enemy could be seen from the hallway.

"No time!" Jaune lifted his hand. "I'm going to try and blast it open! Stand back!" he gathered as much aura as he could into his palm as he concentrated on creating the most powerful Aura Shot that he had ever attempted before.

"Hit the deck!"

A powerful white blast rocketed out of Jaune's palm and slammed into the metal door, knocking it off its hinges and enveloping the room in the dust. Jaune and the others quickly ran out the door as Jaune paused to turn back.

"Keep moving! We have to get out of here before-!"

He paused as the dust began to settle and he came upon a strange sight. In the Hanger bay, nearly every ship that was owned by either bandits or businessmen were wrecked beyond repair. Atlas soldiers were firing upon the Pits guards, while also fighting off against the Grimm, as scorpion tailed man and a raven-haired woman with glass swords.

But what caught his attention was the person that stood at the forefront, just as stunned as he was.

Time seemed to slow down and everything around him was slowly being drowned out as he stared into a familiar shade of emerald green eyes that held a mixture of surprise and joy. And at that moment, only two words seemed to resonate…

"J-Jaune?"

"Pyrrha?"

* * *

25 Minutes Earlier – Outside the Blood Pits

* * *

Pyrrha stared at the weapon of her partner as she ran her hands over the white sheath. Her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she felt the gentle rocking of the airship. She looked up as all around her, her friends and allies were preparing themselves for the upcoming assault. It almost seemed a lifetime ago when she saw him fall into the Forest, a lifetime since she felt she had failed him. But this was their one chance to finally find Jaune and bring him home.

There was no room for hesitation. No room for doubt. No room for failure.

Fenrir pawed her leg as she looked down at the small wolf cub that was insistent on coming along. "I know…I'm anxious too." She patted the small wolf as it made a soft whine.

"We're coming up on the LZ!" the pilot sounded over the radio. "ETA 15 seconds!"

" _Roger that!"_

The Captain – a man named Alex Woods – responded from the second airship.

" _All right everyone, listen up! We have no idea of the exact layout or numbers of the enemy. In normal circumstance a 'blew through op' would be highly ill-advised and we'd have recon the mission in advance."_

 _"But the situation is different. There is a supposed High-Value Target inside the facility and every second wasted could mean certain death for the HVI."_

A hologram of Jaune's ID and appeared to the soldiers.

" _Our mission is to locate and extract the priority target. Along with addition hostages inside the facility. Anyone that gets in your way is to be eliminated with extreme prejudice. Am I clear?"_

" _Sir, yes sir!"_

the soldiers responded from the radios as the Qrow rolled his eyes. "…And this is why I didn't join the military." Qrow remarked as he loaded his weapon with ammo.

"Knock it off, Qrow. Now's not the time for your snarky remarks." Roland chastised as he adjusted the straps on his armour. Diana fixing it for him as he nodded in appreciation.

"I know. Just helps to ease the tension."

"Let's just hope Jaune is in there. I'd hate to have to break in there and only to find out that he was taken somewhere else." Yang said as she loaded Ember Celica with shotgun belts.

"I doubt any divine creator would be that cruel," Ren said as he sharpened his blades.

" _But we should be prepared for the worst, just in case."_

Griswald advised as he and his men radioed from the other dropship. "Guess we'll find out when we get there." Pyrrha strapped Crocea Mors to her waist as the shuttle began to descend.

"Approaching the LZ!" the pilot yelled over the intercom as the red light bathed the hull. "Soldiers! Get ready!" the soldiers locked and loaded as the shuttle touched down and the light went green. "GO!" the doors opened as the Atlas soldiers and Huntsman piled out.

They walked through the forest as they were careful not to set off any possible traps that might be in the area. The Captain held up his fist as he gestured everyone to stop and he gestured them to kneel.

"Red, get over here." He ordered as one of his men snuck over to him. A red marked female operative with a sniper.

"Use your scope, tell me what you see." He ordered as she nodded and peered down her rifle.

She zoomed on a large mountain with a massive forest surrounding the base. Near the base was a large cavern, with what looked like two guards standing in front of it. "There are two guards near the entrance…there's also two MG's hidden in the rock face."

She spotted the hidden MG bunkers that blended into the rocks. "Looks like they're…heavy MG's, possibly 42's? Those will be nasty." She said as Captain Alex nodded.

"Well, it's not like we were going stealth." He pressed a button on his helmet. "Bishop-3, this is Paladin-1. Requesting Close Air Support on the entrance." He ordered.

" _Roger that Paladin-1, beginning our run."_

"Copy that. Paladin-1 out." He looked back to the young huntsman-in-training. "You kids stay back and let us proceed first. Follow in behind and don't engage the enemy unless necessary. Got it?" he asked as the teens nodded.

"All right men form up on me. Iron Wolves attack the facility with Huntsman and do what you do best. It's time to wake them up." Griswald and his men cocked their weapons.

The sound of an airship approaching at high speeds resonated as a fast-looking fighter zoomed towards the mountains. A pair of missiles deployed from its wings as it fired them at the entrance. The two missiles shot through the air and slammed into the mountain, destroying the bunkers and killing the guards.

"Now! Move, move, move!" the Captain yelled as the soldiers and huntsman charged at the entrance.

More guards began to emerge from the tunnel as they fired at the soldiers. The Atlas soldiers firing upon them as Qrow, Oobleck, Roland and Diana jumped into the fray. Roland's weapon – named Durandal – was covered in Gravity Dust as he swung his claymore and launched a powerful shockwave that blew the enemies off their feet.

Diana with her sword and shield deployed charged forward as he increased strength easily toppled anyone that stood in her way.

Qrow slashed and sliced with his Harbingers Sword mode, while also blasting with the Shotgun feature, as he battled off against the sword-wielding opponents. While Oobleck provided fire support as he shot balls of fire from his thermos. The fireballs exploding upon impact as multiple enemies were blown away.

"You do know I prefer to study ancient ruins, not attack them!" he yelled as he swung the extended thermos like a bat and struck down anyone in his way.

"Well then consider this a re-enactment?!" Qrow quipped as he shot at the guards.

"…Yes, I suppose I could. Historically the Blood Pits were invaded before by the Warrior King of Vales forces nearly seventy years ago to eradicate slavery-!"

"Great! Just keep shooting!" Roland yelled as he manipulated the gravity around his sword and increased its weight. Creating a powerful crushing blow that devasted his enemies.

From the treelines, teams RWBY, PNR and the two canine companions watched from the back as they did their best to provide support by distracting the enemy with their gunfire, while the soldiers and adults took them out. Truthfully, they wanted to do more in the battle.

But their priority was finding Jaune.

"Fall back! Fall back!" they heard the men yell as the Pit Guards retreated into the cave.

"They're retreating! Move up!" the captain yelled as everyone began to converge on the entrance.

The Pit Guards managed to get inside and locked the large metal doors behind them. "Stop them!" Captain Alex yelled as they fired on the door, only for the bullets to bounce harmlessly off the metal. Qrow ran forward as he tried to stop them but missed by a fraction of a second.

"Shit! They closed the gate!"

The Captain walked forward as he inspected the metal. "This thing is made of Titanium. No way our guns are going to get through this, not unless we want to bring the whole mountain down on top of us."

"How are we supposed to get to Jaune now?" Ruby asked, not wanting to believe they came all this way for nothing.

"Pyrrha can you bend the metal open?" Wiess asked the redhead who shook her head.

"Not on something this big. It would take more Aura then what I have to even make a dent in this."

Roland looked at the metal before turning to his wife. "Honey, want to give it a crack?" Diana looked at the metal doors before she sheathed her weapons and cracked her knuckles.

"You boys might want to step back, this going to be…ugly." She focused on one of the most painful experiences of her life as her memory recalled the pain with her aura. The aura increasing her strength and bulging her muscles slightly, a red aura coating her form, as her hair wavered for a moment and she glared the doors.

On the other side of the door, the Pit Guards breathed a sigh of relief. "I think that'll hold them off!"

"W-What the hell! Was that Atlas Military!? This is Anima! They have no jurisdiction here!"

"Shit if I know!? Do you think they can get through this door!?"

"No way, that's solid titanium. They'd need to use an airship to punch a hole through that thick-!"

A loud clang resonated out as they snapped their heads to the door. Another loud bang echoed out before another and the doors suddenly began to dent inward.

"W-What the hell!?"

Suddenly the metal doors began to bend open before two hands grabbed the crack in the door and slowly began to bend it open. They were met with a terrifying visage of a woman shrouded in red-aura as her golden eyes glared at each and every one of them.

Faster than they could draw their weapons the woman pulled the doors apart as they slammed into the floor. Roland jumping over his wife as his sword glowed with his aura and he slammed the blade into the ground and unleashed a mighty shockwave that reverberated out and blew them all away. He held up his sword as it deployed into a large shield and protected his wife incoming fire.

"My Valiant Knight." Diana smiled as he protected her from the barrage of bullets. Her sword transformed into a rifle as she leaned over his shoulder and expertly shot down the guards.

"My Warrior Goddess," he replied with a smirk and furled the shield back into a sword. "It's been a while since we did something like this. Almost reminds me of that bandit raid we did on our first date."

"I remember, you were so nervous you nearly stumbled into the enemy barracks."

"What can I say, I was head over heels for you?"

"Ha!" Yang called out. "These guys are awesome!"

"Focus Yang!"

"Attack!" Griswald yelled as he and everyone charged into the Blood Pits.

The Pit Guards didn't stand a chance as they were cut down by the experience huntsman and soldiers as they poured into the facility. Both Arc parents carving a way through the facility as they were set on finding their son. The Iron Wolves and Atlas soldiers coordinating with each other as they expertly out maneuverer and overcome the unprepared men.

The huntsman, both experienced and young, made quick work of the incoming mercenaries as their unique semblances and styles made them nearly impossible to predict. "Keep moving! We have to find Jaune!" Griswald yelled as they pushed on.

Suddenly red lights began to flash, and an alarm began to boom.

"What the hell?" Yang looked up to the red lights before the sound of Grimm roars began to echo out.

"Grimm!" one of the soldiers yelled as several Beowolves came bounding out from the hallways. The Pit Guards screamed as the Grimm overrun them from behind.

"Shit! Where the hell are these Grimm coming from!?"

"Who cares! Just keep shooting!"

* * *

Meanwhile Tyrian grinned as he stood at the end of the tunnel and looked out at the large arena that was quickly being overrun by the Grimm. Those with fat pockets or larger bellies were the first to fall as the Grimm tore them to pieces. Those who were bandits did their best to hold them off, but they were used to fighting defenceless humans that the savagery of the Grimm completely overwhelmed them.

"Tear this place apart until you find the boy. And do not harm him, our Goddess demands it." He commanded as the two beside him nodded and roared the command to the rest. He grinned as he marched his way into the ancient arena.

"Should've just given me the boy, August." He held his arms wide and laughed. "Wouldn't have come to this!" he smiled as he dreamt of the praise he would receive from his master.

At the same time, flying fast towards the mountain, was another of Salem's agents. Cinder glared as she spotted the smoke rising from the mountain.

"Shit! The Kingdom must've discovered the pit! It's an all-out raid!"

He cursed as he set his controls. "Bring us in," she ordered as the man looked at her.

"Are you crazy? I ain't going anywhere near that place if the Military is there. I'm bugging out-Gah!"

He never got to finish as a Grimm-like hand wrapped itself around his throat and snapped his neck. She glared until she pulled the man from his seat and sat down and took control. Flying straight for the place that held her target. She pushed down on the controls as she sped towards her goal.

* * *

Bullets flew all around them as the Assault team moved their way towards the hanger bay. It was the only viable path they could take once the Grimm began to overrun the facility. So far, they had lost two Atlas soldiers to the Grimm and one of the Iron Wolves. But they were still going strong as they burst their way through the doors.

"Move, move, move!" the Captain yelled as they ran inside. "Seal that door!" Pyrrha obliged as she used her semblance to warp the metal into a locked position.

"That should hold them off." She told them as they looked around.

"It looks like this is the Hanger Bay Gaius was talking about," Griswald observed. "But all these ships have been disabled. Why would they do that?"

"Who knows, right now we need to find Jaune and get the hell out of here," Roland said as he prepared to move forward.

"Oh, so there are others after the White Wolf?"

Everyone snapped to the right, weapons at the ready, as their eyes widened at the sight of a strange-looking man. What was more shocking, was the pack of Grimm by his side as they stood by him.

"What the hell? Identify yourself!" the Atlas captain demanded as the man chuckled disturbingly.

"Who I am, does not matter. All that matters is that I fulfil the mission I was tasked with by my Goddess." Qrow had a bad feeling about this man, as he could only assume, he had something to do with Salem. "Get rid of them. I'm going to go searching for the boy." He snapped his fingers as the Grimm roared and charged at the man.

"Shit! Open fire!" gunfire resonated in the hanger bay as they held back the Grimm.

Tyrian grinned as he casually walked towards the prison cells. A look of pure satisfaction on his face as he felt as if he was about to accomplish such an easy task. "No!" Pyrrha yelled as she tried to make her way to the man, only to be blocked off by the Grimm.

But before Tyrian could move any further a glass arrow struck near his feet as he lazily turned his head. "Cinder…" Cinder glared as she held her old weapon in her hand.

"Tyrian…" she replied.

Qrow momentarily paused in his fight as he spotted the woman. "Isn't that-!" he was cut off as he blocked a Grimm with his blade.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He chuckled. "What does it look like? I am accomplishing what you can't, I am to apprehend the boy and deliver him to Salem. Once I do, she will praise me with her affections and love. And then you can enjoy being Grimm chow for her pets."

"That's not your mission. Salem ordered me to find him and bring him back. It's my mission of redemption. What do you think she would do to you when she learns of interfering with my mission?"

"When she learns? Fool…she ordered me to do it." She glared as she summoned two blades of glass.

"I won't let you get in my way." He chuckled madly as his tail unfurled from his waist and his weapons deployed.

She screamed outright as she charged at the man, who laughed as he sprinted towards her. Glass meeting metal as the two agents of Salem collided in a show of power. Cinder swiped and slashed with her blades, while he easily evaded and slashed with his own. Both agents were highly skilled and accomplished in their trade, as neither of them could land a blow to the other. But that wouldn't stop them as they fought amongst each other.

A ball of fire launched from her pam as she attempted to incinerate the man, who only laughed and lunged the woman with furious intent. Chaos reigned over the hanger before, as man versed Grimm. Huntsman versed Soldier and Agent battled Agent.

Everything came to a halt as the doors on the other end burst open and a cloud of dust covered the doorway. Then a voice that Pyrrha instantly recognised sounded from the dust.

"Keep moving! We have to get out of here before-!"

Time seemed to slow down as the dust slowly settled and the face of the one, she had lost so long ago appeared before her. His hair was shorter, his body was covered in dust, blood and all kinds of scars. But his face and his blue eyes were the same shade of deep sapphire that she loved.

He stood as still as a stump as he noted all her changes as well. But her long red hair and caring emerald eyes were still the same. And between them, they only said one word…

"J-Jaune?"

"Pyrrha?"

They both took a hesitant step forward before running in a full sprint towards each other as Cinder's eyes widened in shock. "You!" she yelled as she and Tyrian made a run for him. Only to be stopped as a large wall of Ice, courtesy of Weiss Schnee, blocked their path and momentarily stopped the fighting.

Back with Jaune and Pyrrha, the two collided with each other in a deep and emotional hug. So much that they practically spun around. Both of them grasping each other like their life depended on it as tears sprung forth from their eyes.

"P-Pyrrha! You're here! You're here!" he cried as she nodded and held him tight, fearing that this was a dream and he would wake up in his cell.

"Y-yes, yes I am here, J-Jaune! And you're alive! You're alright!" she cried as the boy himself just laughed and cried harder. "I'm just, just so happy to see you!" she buried her head in his neck as he did the same.

"Me too Pyrrha! Me too…" they parted slightly as they looked at each other. Eyes red, tears marked their face, but they didn't care. They were just so happy right now.

"You…you got a haircut?" she said as she pointed to his hair. "And you're starting to grow a beard…I don't like it." He chuckled in response.

"To be fair, I didn't have much choice in the haircut." He brushed a hand through his hair and jaw. "As for the beard, I think I'm coming around to it." She shook her head as a smile was etched upon her face.

"You're an idiot."

"I know."

"But you're my idiot…" he blushed slightly as he was about to ask what she meant when suddenly he heard his name being called.

"JAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!" he heard someone say before he was tackled from behind at high speed. A comical expression of pain stretched across his face as Ruby Rose had sped over to them with her semblance.

"R-Ruby!?" he asked as the small huntress held onto him.

"You're okay! Oh my gosh, you're alright!" she said with tears in her eyes as she hugged the boy from behind. She latched on to his back as he barely had the time to steady himself. Right before another form tackled him.

"Jauney!" Nora yelled as she jumped onto the steadily growing pile, followed by Yang and surprisingly even Ren, Weiss and Blake as the added weight caused him to finally topple over and fall to the floor. Jaune groaned slightly before he looked up from the floor to the faces of all his friends. A smaller white shape barked and ran over as Fenrir happily licked his master's face.

"Jaune! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad to see you again! You will not believe the lengths we had to go to-!"

"Where have you been! We've been worried sick about you for the past four days! What the hell were you thinking of going on a patrol when we were only six hours away! I hope you're happy with yourself because we've been worried sick trying to find you-!"

"Geez vomit-boy, you nearly gave us all a heart attack! I know I like to live life on the edge, but I'm not that crazy! You had us worried sick about you! You're lucky I don't kick your ass for making you-!"

"Fearless leader! Fearless leader! It's so, so, so good to see you again! We thought we nearly lost you when that old captain guy told us you got captured! But I knew you wouldn't go down easy! You're the fearless leader of Team JNPR after all! By the way, we had to call ourselves PNR while you were gone, but we didn't like it! We never wanted to replace you, it would never be the same and-!"

"I cannot stress how good it is to see you again, brother. But seriously, do not ever do this again. We never want to see anyone we care about disappearing like that ever-!"

"It's good to see you again Jaune. I'm sorry about what you've been through. I can assure you we didn't give up looking for you. There was no way we would ever make that mistake again-!"

The multiple voices of his friends surrounded him as he stared up at their faces, each of them displaying a different emotion that ranged from a combination of happy, happy/sad, happy/angry and happy/happy. That last one was Nora, who looked like she could generate a building with her bright smile.

A small smile started to form on his lips before a small chuckle turned into a laugh that slowly caused the others to stop rambling and look at him. He patted Fenrir's head before he looked up at them with a smiling face.

"By the Gods…I've never been so happy to see you guys again. I missed you all."

Smiles dotted their faces as they all piled on for a group hug. "We missed you too." They all said as they relished in the moment.

"Jaune!" a familiar voice screamed as he spun around in surprise to see his mother running towards him at frightening speed and her arms wide open.

"Mum!?" was all he managed to say before he was scooped up in her arms and showered with kisses.

"Oh, my precious baby boy!" she smothered him in kisses. "My special little guy!" more kisses planted themselves on his cheek as she hugged him as if her life depended on it.

"M-Mum! You're embarrassing me in front of all the army guys!" he groaned in embarrassment as the Atlas Soldiers, Iron Wolves, his friends and fellow Huntsman chuckled at the sight.

"Don't care! I'm just so glad to have my baby boy back!" she smiled as she held her son for the first time in six months. A large set of arms circled each other as Roland managed to pick up both his wife and son into a big hug.

"My boy! You had us so worried!" his father yelled with a smile on his face as he hugged the two. "I never thought I'd see you again!" he said as he felt a great weight was lifted off him.

"He's not the only one."

Everyone turned to see Cornelius and the rest of the prisoners watching with slight amusement. "Hiya son!" Cornelius said with a wave and a smile as both the elder Arcs and Griswald stared wide-eyed at the man.

"D-Dad/C-Cornelius!?" both Roland and Griswald shouted at the same time as the elder Arc smiled.

"That's me!"

"Y-You're alive!? I can't believe this, H-How is this-!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah reunion later. Right now, we have to get the heck out of here." He pointed behind him. "In case you've forgotten Jaune, we have roughly less than five minutes left till the generators blow up."

"What!?" Everyone shouted.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that."

"Then we need a quick exfil." Captain Alex said as he activated his comm. "Bishop-3 this is Paladin-1, we have the package. Requesting immediate evac."

" _Roger that Paladin-1, we're proceeding to the rendezvous point."_

"Negative, we are still inside the facility and can't reach the extraction point. We're going to open the Hanger doors; we have civilians in need of pick up."

" _Copy that, Paladin-1. Get those doors open and we can touch down."_

"Roger that. Someone get those doors open!" he ordered as two of his men made their way to the controls and started opening the large hanger doors, that was cleverly concealed by the rocky exterior. "Bishop-3 you're clear to land."

Three large shuttles flew into the hanger as they touched down on the platforms. Suddenly the large ice wall began to crack as the Grimm pounded on the ice. "Everyone on board! We are leaving!" Alex ordered as everyone ran to the dropships and began to pile on.

"Wait!"

While everyone was boarding, Cornelius heard August as he turned to see the man running towards them, bags full of lien as he stumbled to get to them. "Don't leave me here!" he yelled as Cornelius glared and aimed his rifle at the man who stopped in his tracks. The dust obscuring them from the others as they exchanged words.

"W-Wait Mister A-Arc sir. Cornelius! Y-you can't leave me behind! I-I can make it worth your while!" he pleaded as he held up the cash to the man, who looked neither interested nor swayed.

"Please, I-I know I treated you and your grandson, admittedly, poorly. B-But you can't leave me behind, can you?" he asked hoping to appease to his human side.

"…Ten years…" he blinked as Cornelius glared at him.

"I lost ten years of my life because of you. Ten Years I could've spent with my family, gone. Because you had me chained to the fucking wall. Fighting in your pits and delighting in our suffering. And what, you think I'm going to forget all that because you wave some cash in my face?! No…I'm not that kind of man." he aimed down and shot the man's knee.

"Gah!" he screamed and fell to the floor as Cornelius aimed the rifle as August nearly pissed himself while clutching his bleeding knee.

"W-Wait! Please don't kill me! Y-You wouldn't kill an unarmed man, would you!? Y-You're not _that_ kind of man, right?" Cornelius glared before he looked behind the man and nodded.

"You're right…I'm not…" for a moment he breathed a sigh of relief.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to save you either."

He blinked in confusion before he heard several growls from behind him as the Grimm began to crawl out from over the ice wall and descend upon the. He barely had time to scream before they pounced on him and ripped him to shreds. The lien he had staining with his blood, as Cornelius merely glared before making his way to the shuttles.

"Come on! Everybody on board! Right now!" Alex ordered as a fiery hotspot began to emerge in the ice as Cinder used her powers to melt a hole in the wall.

"Might want to pick up the pace!" one of the soldiers yelled as they fired on the Grimm that was coming out or climbing through the hanger doors. She summoned more of her power as steam began to rise.

Jaune looked back as he saw for a moment the woman's face as she glared through the small hole. "Oh no, you don't!" Roland said as he grabbed the boy by the scruff of his shirt. "You're getting on first!" he all but threw his son inside. Cornelius following behind as the ramp closed shut.

"Everyone is accounted for! Let's get the hell out of here!" Captain Alex yelled as the shuttles began to take off.

Cinder just managed to burst through the wall as she stared at the rising ships as they began to take off. "No!" she yelled as he made to give chase. But suddenly one of the pipes began to burst as the dust inside began to overload.

She cursed as she had no choice but to flee. Tyrian himself also cursed as he quickly made his escape.

All around the arena, the dust conduits began to overload as the generator's regulators failed. Balls of fire erupting and exploding from the pipes as everyone inside was incinerated in the blaze. The mountain shook as large explosions began to crack through the stone.

"Whoa…" Yang said as she and everyone watched the mountain erupt.

Jaune stood near the viewing port as he watched the horrid place go up in flames. A sense of relief washed over him as the place of torment was burning to the ground. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder as his grandfather nodded.

"It's okay Jaune, it's over." He reassured the boy who nodded before he suddenly felt weak and nearly toppled over.

"Jaune!" his friends yelled in worry before he raised his hand.

"I'm alright! I'm alright! Just…just tired is all. I need to lie down."

"You need a little more than rest Jaune, take him over to the stretcher. We're heading to Argus to get you some medical treatment." His father said as his friends nodded and led him over to the stretcher and lay him down. He sighed in relief as his head met the soft pillow. "We'll be at Argus soon, just lie down and get some rest."

Jaune didn't complain as the mattress felt so soft against his back.

"That feels nice." Pyrrha sat near him as she patted his hand while the medic got to work on him. Fenrir leapt up and curled himself on Jaune's lap as he patted the small wolf. "Hey bud, I missed you too." He scratched the wolfs ear as it lulled itself to sleep. Pyrrha smiled as she held his hand.

"It's good to have you back Jaune." He smiled as he held her hand.

"It's good to be back…" a comfortable silence as for the first time in a long time, Jaune finally felt at peace. Because finally, after so long, he was returning home. With his friends and family by his side. Finally, his journey was over…

"Hey, why is there an imprint of Yang's face in the metal?"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here it is, after a full month of painstaking effort, here is the third (15** **th** **) chapter of the Legend of the White Wolf. I did it! I finally did it! I hope you all are happy because I nearly went insane trying to write three chapters at once for you all! To make up for the cliff hanger in Chapter 12. (So much hate from that one). I think I saw a baby crawling on the ceiling once…**

 **Help.**

 **Anywho, finally, Jaune is back with his family and friends. I would've added an Omake, but I couldn't think of one at the moment. And no, this is not a cliff hanger, he is reunited with his friends. Now, I can't send Jaune back to Beacon straight away. He's injured, in need of medical attention and the only one that is close enough is Argus. Where he will also need some time for rest. He deserves it after all.  
**

 **Next chapter will focus on his recuperation, his time to reconnect with his family and friends. New armour and weapons and having the heart to heart he needs with Pyrrha. So, stay tuned for the next chapter coming out…when it's ready…**

 **Chapter XVI: Knights Rest Part I**


	16. Chapter XVI: Knight's Rest Part I

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

 **A/N this is a two-parter. One chapter focusing on Family, the second on friends and his abelites. So sorry for the lack of Ruby and crew later on. Please enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter XVI: Knights Rest Part I

* * *

To say Salem was annoyed was an understatement. She was _livid_ , more so than she had been in the last hundred years or so. She hadn't felt like this since she instigated the Great War seventy years ago to steal the Relics from Ozpin. But that was mild compared to what she was feeling right now.

Her invasion plan for Beacon had failed. Her associates and allies were ousted and targeted by the Kingdoms of Atlas, Vacuo and Vale.

Mistral was under reorganisation since Leonardo's death, and she knew Ozpin was no doubt filling it with new loyal protectors for the school. Her attempts at forging relations with the White Fang were very unlikely to progress. As well as the fact that she knew Ozpin would jump at the chance to forge an alliance with the more level-headed of the White Fang. Such as Ghira Belladonna.

"And now…" she spoke as she looked at the two Seers with the images of Tyrian and Cinder kneeling with heads held low. "I'm getting reports that you two failed to retrieve the boy, the one responsible for halting our progress in the first place because you two wanted to see which of you could please me more. Now because of it, he has managed to get away and back into Ozpin's little school?"

The tone of her voice spoke volumes of her anger, as they could feel the subtle fury that was dwelled beneath her.

"I already expected failure from Cinder, because of her arrogance." Cinder baulked but said nothing. "But you, Tyrian. I expected better from you. And yet I find that not only did you fail to retrieve the boy, you also comprised your identity to both Ozpin's spy _and_ the Atlas Military. All it will take is a description of your features, and you'll be spotted the moment you reach any location."

Tyrian flinched as small tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes.

"The only available operatives I have left are Hazel and Watts. But Hazel is busy training Emerald. And Watts is working a new program to hack the CCT, what with the updated system. I cannot afford to lose any more secrecy to Ozpin." She glared as her aura caused them to quake. "Now, tell me exactly what happened that caused this?"

" _M-My Goddess, I-I was in the process of acquiring the Arc. But then Cinder followed me, barged in and demanded that I leave it to her. Jeopardising the mission!"_

" _You liar! It was my mission, to begin with! You were interfering with my mission and cost us the chance. I almost had him!"_

" _Bullshit! I almost had him when you decided to disrupt my-Gah!"_

" _Gah!"_

Both he and Cinder were silenced as the seers wrapped their tendrils around their throats and Salem's eyes glowed with fury. _**"Silence!"**_ Her voice reverberated as those she communicated with, and those in the castle recoiled from her intense aura.

"Both of you are to blame for this failure. Instead of focusing on the mission, you two decided it was best to fight amongst yourselves and ensured the boy escaped. With who knows what else's he's managed to learn."

The grips on their necks tightened for a brief moment before they let go.

"But I suppose the fault also lies with me as well…I believed that Tyrian would accomplish his task faster than you could, Cinder. I had forgotten that, notwithstanding your failures, you have an unrelenting drive that pushes you onwards despite failure. One that had served me well in the past. I also failed to account your devotion to pleasing me, Tyrian, and underestimated the bitter rivalry you two have." She walked to her throne as she sat upon the dark crystal and bones.

"But it stops now. We must work together to defeat Ozpin once and for all. A repeat of this…" she clenched her hands as the tendrils slithered around them again. "And there will be no second chances, understood?" they nodded quickly.

"Pardon my intrusion, Mistress," Hazel asked. "What of the boy? Should we continue to pursue him?" she pondered for a moment.

"No, by now he will have returned to Ozpin's side and will be difficult to acquire. We will have to wait for the right opportunity when the time comes."

"What about his family? Can we…obtain them somehow and use them as leverage against him?" Watts asked as Hazel turned to glare at the man.

"Mistress I would like to voice my objection to that plan. I believe that Ozpin must pay, and I'm willing to do what must be done. But not at the expense of a family that has no part in his plans. Attacking the family would have a negative consequence in the far future. Besides, it would be more than likely he would place them into protective custody."

"Oh please, we could easily get past any 'protection' he or General Ironwood would place on the family. No, that's not why you're hesitant. I hear a little emotion in your voice, Hazel. Were you speaking tactically…or emotionally because of what happened to your sister?" Watts asked as the man's fist tightened but held back his anger.

"…I agree with you, Hazel. Ozpin will no doubt place them under protective custody. Add to the fact that the Arcs are formidable warriors, especially if the report is true and Cornelius Arc is alive. It would be wise not to provoke them and have them continually disrupt us. Getting to them would be difficult, but not impossible. Besides, they will eventually fade away with time…" She leaned back.

"We will leave the family alone unless the situation demands it."

"Thank you, my mistress." Hazel bowed while Watts rolled his eyes.

"Pacifist" he muttered under his breath while Hazel glared at him.

"Right now, we need to focus on gathering new supporters, come up with a new plan to attack the Kingdoms, and seize the other Relics. For now, Mistral and Vale are off-limits." She turned to Cinder

"Cinder you still need to prove yourself, so I will task you with locating the other Maidens. We know that the Winter Maiden is in Atlas, given her age. So Instead of searching for the Spring and Summer Maiden separately, as we originally planned. We will locate the identities of all of them and then capture them all in one swoop. This way when we launch our invasions we will operate swiftly and with precision." Cinder bowed.

" _Yes, my Queen. I will not fail you."_

"You better. And Tyrian, I want you to continue looking for more supports. Gather the ones you spoke of before and see if you can make contact with Adam. Tell him…that we have a _solution_ to his problems. And that we can give him new powers to rival that of Atlas." Her subordinates nodded before the seer's scurried away.

"Watts, putting aside the CCT project for a moment, I want you to head to the Black Forest and discover what the Arc child had learned there. Report back as soon as possible. If memory serves me, it was once the site of an ancient Academy built to train warriors of my time. There could be something…useful there." Watts nodded as he turned to leave but stopped.

"…Mistress?" Watts asked as the ancient sorceress turned to him. "Pardon my insolence, but. Given all that has occurred. Is it still possible to achieve the final goal?"

Salem looked at the man as she nodded. "Yes," she spoke confidently.

"While in the past Ozpin has managed to hold on to the relics of the Gods. Time has always been a factor in this war. And time is on my side. We can be patient, learn, adapt and grow. While Ozpin will continue to subjugate himself to the same tactics and suffer the same results, he has suffered for the past thousand years. He will eventually run out of allies and will once again find himself alone in this futile fight." She laced her fingers together as she smirked.

"As for this boy, this… _White Wolf_ …we'll see where his true loyalties lie once he learns the truth. And how useful he could potentially be in the future…"

* * *

Argus Medical Centre

* * *

It had been roughly a few hours since Jaune Arc had been retrieved from the blood pits. A few hours since both the Atlas/Iron Wolves/Huntsman teams led a raid on the illegal blood sport, while Jaune and his Grandfather led a mass prison break to escape the facility.

The end result was the complete and utter destruction of the Blood Pits and all that was in charge. Immediately upon arrival, Jaune, his grandfather and the 'liberated' prisoners were taken to the Argus Medical Centre to be treated for injuries, malnourishment, physical and psychological trauma, as well as possible illnesses contracted from being kept in unsanitary environments for such long periods.

There was a small incident when it was revealed that some of the escapees were former bandits. As well as some of the Atlas personal's view on Faunus prisoners. But Cornelius assured them they were not likely to cause trouble. After being abandoned by their former clans, the former bandits were more than happy to give up on that life. And the Faunus prisoners? Well…

There was a reason he was the former captain of the Iron Wolves, as he set them straight. And being personally threatened by Ironwood, who arrived in Argus recently, managed to put aside any racial discriminations while treating the patients.

Speaking of patients.

"Doctor, how is Jaune? He looked pretty roughed up." Roland asked as the head Doctor, a woman named Flora Nightingale, sighed as she read over the report of Jaune's injures.

His family and friends gathered around as she read out the initial report.

"From observation, the young man is physically exhausted with around 20% of his body covered in scar tissue. With most of it being focused on his chest, back and arms. With slight scaring on his legs." She told the parent as she listed the injuries she observed when he was brought in an hour ago.

His friends and family growing concerned as she listed the injuries that Jaune had sustained.

"Not only that but he has suffered extensive physical trauma to his face and left arm, as well as evidence of slightly malnutrition for the past four days. More than likely from his time in the blood pits. Not as severe as his grandfather, but still a cause for concern. The good news is that his Semblance has healed most of the injures, but I would like to keep him under further observation until he is fully discharged."

"Not going to argue with that."

Cornelius leaned against the wall. His own body bandaged, with an IV drip stand beside him. "The boy was put to fighting nearly every day in the arena just like the rest of us. It was demanded of us that we fight or die. Food was scarce, but we made it work and shared what we could." He explained with a cigarette between his fingers.

"…I'm sorry dad. You must've been through a lot."

"Eh, not the worst I've been through. But not something I want to repeat." He shrugged as he drew a drag of his cigarette before it was snatched and thrown out the window by Miss Nightingale.

"No smoking in the medical wing." She stressed as the man pouted and stowed his pack.

"Can…can we see him?" Pyrrha asked as she had not seen her partner since he was admitted. The old woman smiled as she nodded, much to the delight of the young teens.

"Yes, he should be well enough for visits. This way please," she gestured as they followed her to a small private room, graciously given to them by the Atlas military on the orders of Ironwood.

They quickly entered the room as they came upon the sight of Jaune. His body was covered in bandages, with IV drips and monitors attached to his chest and wrists. A doctor stood beside him taking notes of his condition. It wasn't anything serious, but they were just being cautious. Especially when Cornelius told them he fought off a Nemean Lion.

Diana and Pyrrha nearly had a heart attack when they heard that.

Jaune smiled cheerfully when he saw his friends. "Hey guys!" he waved.

"Hey Jaune, how are you feeling?" Ruby asked.

"I'm fine, better if they'd let me out of here." He eyed the doctor. "Look I'm perfectly fine, these bandages aren't even necessary. I'm all healed up!"

"That maybe. But we've been ordered to keep you under observation until the medical staff has deemed it so. After everything you've been through you need to rest." Ren advised as the boy pouted slightly.

"I guess…but it's just so boring in here~! They've been doing nothing but testing and prodding! Asking 'does this hurt?' or 'Is this causing you problems?' or 'how does this feel?' Pretty much what you expect from Doctors…though I'm pretty sure one of them is obsessed with my faeces because he keeps asking me to poop!" he glared at the door as said Doctor leaned in the door and smiled.

"Everything can be explained with poop, young man!" Jaune's eye began to twitch.

"Not if it's something obvious like a broken rib!" he pointed to his chest.

"Broken rib?" Weiss asked as Jaune chuckled.

"Oh, yeah~ I didn't want to mention that. But turns out Ruby kind of caused a hairline fracture on my left rib when she tackle-hugged me...I didn't want you all to worry." Ruby flinched at the memory.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt I swear!"

"It's all right Ruby, I understand. I was happy to see you guys too. Besides, it will heal up as soon as my aura is fully recharged." He sighed as he leaned back into his pillow. "I think it would be much easier to draw more from my soul. Then I could get out of here as soon as-!"

"Wait you've been what!?" he and everyone jumped slightly. His grandfather, mother and father were staring directly at him like he just said a curse word.

"Huh? W-What's the matter?"

"Jaune you've been pulling more aura from your soul! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is!" Diana screeched as the boy was confused.

"W-What's the big deal, I'm just using more of my aura. It helped me out during the Riverdale battle and the Blood Pit. Why is it so bad?" His grandfather sighed as he stood before the boy.

"Jaune. Normally Huntsman can recharge their Aura if they have enough left in the tank. But if their aura shatters, then it takes time to refill. The technique you described is something only us Arcs can accomplish, called 'Overdrive'. It grants us the ability to draw more from our souls to fuel our power. It's not something that can be taught, only experienced in life or death situations. But it runs the risk of shortening your life span by years."

He and everyone else flinched slightly at this little fact.

"Oh…well that explains why I get so weak afterwards." He thought about both the Nemean Lion and Riverdale as both times he utilized this 'technique' it left him severely drained.

"How often have you used it, Jaune?" Roland asked as Jaune thought.

"U-Um, I used it twice so far, back in Riverdale and again in the Pit." Roland sighed a breath of relief.

"That's good. You wouldn't have lost more than ten years so far. Luckily us Arcs have been known to live up to 150 if we play our cards right." Everyone blinked at this as they stared at the family.

"So, I shouldn't use it anymore?"

"I would say yes, but life has shown us that we cannot control that which is uncontrollable. I'd say don't use it unless the situation truly calls for it." His grandfather advised as Jaune nodded. "And I mean _really calls for it._ " He got straight up into Jaune's face.

"If I find out you used it for anything other than certain life and death situations. I will personally drag you back from the underworld and give you such a whooping!" he glared with unbridled rage as Jaune shrunk back and he nodded rapidly.

Especially because of all the similar glares on his friends and family's faces.

"G-Got it!"

"Good!" his demeanour switched back to normal as Jaune let out a breath of fresh air.

"Aside from that, it would be best that you take some time off Jaune. Headmaster Ozpin agrees that you deserve a break". Weiss informed as everyone nodded.

"But don't I have to report to him? There are so many things I need to ask and tell him." Qrow shook his head.

"Right now, a full recovery is what you need. I've already contacted Oz and he's agreed for a small debriefing with you tomorrow. Then you're to give a full report after two weeks' worth of rest. But when you're fully recovered you will be required to make a full report. How long will he be in here, Doc?" he asked.

"With the rate, his Semblance is healing his wounds, I'd say no more than three days."

"So, three days of bed rest, then a week's worth of time off. Oz should be okay with that." Qrow said as he turned to make his way to the door. "I'll see you guys later…now, where's the nearest bar?" The older adults, with Ruby and Yang, sighed as the man wandered off to find the nearest dive bar.

Just as he left, Saphron and Terra entered the room carrying their infant son, Adrian, in their arms. "Saphron! Terra!" Jaune exclaimed before a dissatisfied grunt came from the child in their arms and he saw the pouting child.

"Oh, and of course little Adrian!" he smiled when the child brightened up.

"Sorry we're late, we had to pick Adrian from Day-care and he was so excited to finally see his favourite Uncle again," Saphron explained as the small child reached out for his Uncle Jaune.

"That's 'cause I'm his _only_ Uncle." Jaune smiled as the small child was placed on his lap. "Hey little guy, you've gotten so big now, haven't you?" The small child giggled as he embraced his uncle, while everyone silently gushed at the scene.

Yang grinned as she leaned over to Pyrrha and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, hey Pyrrha. That's what you want, huh? A little baby version of you and Jaune, huh?" she grinned as the girl blushed red. "Want to make a cute little baby with you and Jau-gah!" She was silenced as Pyrrha slammed her elbow into her stomach and she fell to the floor, not that anyone else noticed.

"W-Why don't I ever learn?" she asked in pain while everyone was still focused on Jaune.

"So, where's the rest of the family?" he asked as he played with little Adrian on his lap.

"Your sisters will be here in a couple of days. Some of them have to organize time off from work." Diana explained as Jaune nodded.

"That's okay, as long as I get to see them, that's all that matters." Adrian was playing with one of the wires on Jaune's chest, who playfully moved the tiny hands away while talking to the rest of his family and friends.

"Terra, how's is it going at the CDT?"

"It's been alright. Ever since this system's update, we've been having less technical issues than before. It's taken a bit of the load off work and allows me to spend some more time with Saphron and Adrian." She explained as the child started chewing on a loose part of Jaune's hospital gown.

"Okay, Adrian that's enough." Saphron chuckled as she plucked the child from her brother. "He really missed his Uncle…we all did." Jaune smiled softly as patted the small boys head.

"I missed you guys too…all of you. I'm just so glad to be back…" he stopped when he felt a hand on his head. "Nora, stop playing with my hair." He looked over to Nora as she rubbered her hand in his short hair.

"I can't help it! It's so short and feels so weird. Kind of looks good on you, though. Might help you get all the ladies now." She grinned when she noticed Pyrrha glare at her with red puffed up cheeks.

"Well, stop it! It's embarrassing!" he tried to wave his arms to get her to stop. But they were currently too sore to move fast enough. "Besides, I don't see you doing this to Ren's hair!"

"Oh, I do this all the time with Renny's. I even braid it." She pointed to the man; whose long hair was now braided. He moved the hair and it sparkled, strangely.

"She is the master of braiding."

Jaune sighed. "Figures…by the way, is Fen going to be okay? He kicked up a bit of a fuss when we landed," he asked noticing the small white wolf was not around.

"Your little wolf pal is fine Jaune," Roland spoke up. "We figured it would be best to have him taken to the Vet before he was allowed in the hospital. Plus, he is _technical_ a wild animal and needs to be checked for worms and whatnot. After that, he'll be staying with Saphron until you're discharged."

"Thanks, sis. Take good care of him, okay. We've been through a lot together."

Saphron nodded as she held her son in her arms. "No problem, little brother."

"Speaking of, how on earth did you get a wild wolf pup as a Pet?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, you must have a lot of cool stories to tell us now Jaune. Like, how the heck did you survive falling off the cliff like that. Not even I could survive a fall like that, I mean if I didn't have my weapon." Ruby asked.

"Yeah, come on Jaune, how did you survive? From what we heard the Black Forest was impossible to escape from." Yang asked as well interested in the story that would come from the boy.

"Oh, boy, that's a long story…Okay, so what happened was…"

He began to regale them the tale of how he fell down into the Black Forest. About his run-in with the White Fang on the mountain tops, causing an avalanche – his mother and Pyrrha nearly had a heart attack when he told them that – and his battle with the bandits at Riverdale. Another close bout of heart attacks. And even about the small-time, he spent with the Branwen tribe.

Yang avoided his gaze when he mentioned her mother.

He avoided telling them about his new abilities because he wanted to show them rather than tell them. He had a feeling that the head doctor wouldn't agree with him using his aura until he was fully healed and discharged. So, for now, he just regaled them of his adventures.

"Well I'm afraid that visiting hours are over, and Mister Arc needs some rest. We will allow for visitations again in the morning. But for now, it's time to let the patient rest." Doctor Nightingale said as she began to usher the people out.

"Sleep well Jaune, we'll see you in the morning." Diana Arc said as she placed a small kiss on his head. While Roland just ruffled his hair.

"Night mum, night dad." His parents smiled at them. His friends giving him similar goodbyes and in one case a slap on the back from the two heavy hitters.

"Good night Jaune. We'll be here first thing in the morning." Pyrrha said as she was led out of the room.

"Night Pyrrha." His gaze lingered for a moment before the door was close.

He smiled as he reclined into his bed. All the fatigue and the stress that he had carried was finally off his chest. The battles he faced, the losses he suffered. It was worth it, in the end, to get back to his friends…

But that still left the questions in his head, the ones that Raven put there. They seemed to reverberate more since his encounter with the two at the Arena. The one that was plastered on the wanted papers, and the insane looking scorpion man. Could they be working for the one that she talked about? The one that was actually 'controlling the Grimm' and if so, what else was she right about?

"I suppose I'll get my answers when I see Ozpin, face-to-face, but for now…" he lay back down and closed his eyes. "I just need to rest. World's not going anywhere."

* * *

A Day Later

* * *

A loud happy bark resonated from the cafeteria of the Hospital as Fenrir ran out of the small dog carrier and bolted for Jaune, who was just being wheeled to the mess hall at the same time. The small Wolf happily rubbed his head affectionally against Jaune's leg.

"I know, I know. I missed you too boy." He patted the wolf pup on its head. "Boy you must've really hated the vet?" he asked as the wolf pup nodded.

"Tell me about it," Saphron said as she held her son in her arms. "From what I heard, the poor thing just kept howling and barking, Kept the staff up all night. He really took a liking to you. Then again, you always were good with animals and kids."

Jaune nodded as he petted the small wolf. "Thanks for this, sis. So, where are mum and dad?"

"They're at the terminal, waiting for the rest of the family to drop in. Your friends are giving their reports to the Atlas soldiers, and grandpa is having chats with his old Iron Wolves comrades…huh…it's weird but I still can't believe Grandpa was alive this whole time."

"Tell me about it, how do you think I felt when I met him in the Pit? I guess getting captured by bandits again was a blessing in disguise, huh?" his sister didn't answer right away which caught Jaune's attention.

"Is something wrong?"

She sighed as she set her son done, who was adamant on playing with the small wolf pup.

"Jaune, I need to get something off my chest. And no doubt mum and dad will probably give you the same talk…" she sighed as she sat down on one of the chairs, thankful that the cafeteria was mostly empty.

"When we heard that you… 'Died'…everyone was angry at you. I was so _angry_ at you, that you went and got yourself killed trying to live up to our old family name. Thinking how could you've been so stupid to try and relive our families old trade? Wasn't the life back home good enough? Wasn't being a son or an uncle good enough for you? You could've been anything you wanted, so why pick the most dangerous profession out there? Didn't you care about how we thought?" Jaune said nothing as he just listened, knowing full well he needed to hear this.

"Eventually my anger towards you turned to grief and I realised that doing things your own way has always been you. If you ever wanted something, you'd bend heaven and earth to make it happen. Us trying to stop you, just made you more stubborn…if that was even possible?" they both shared a chuckle before they resumed silence.

The only sound was Adrian playing with Fenrir, who was chasing the small wolf pup around the mess hall.

"You have no idea how happy we were to hear that you were alive and with grandpa of all people…it made me glad to know that Adrian wouldn't grow up knowing only a photograph. And it probably made the rest of us realise that by trying to stop you, it only pushed you on." Jaune looked to his older sister as she wiped away the tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" he asked as she looked at him. "I caused you guys so much misery and pain, I probably deserve a good whack on the head for putting you through all this." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, when you get better, grandpa might give you one." She joked as Jaune chuckled. "Still…After you're all healed up, you're going back to Beacon, right?"

"Yeah." He said without hesitation or remorse.

"Figured as much…" she gripped the fabric of her pants as she avoided looking directly at him. "I can't help but worry, that something is going to happen again and we're going to lose you again. Either to some forest, no one has escaped from, or bandit tribe or heck, even a giant space octopus for all we know." She continued to avoid his gaze as he listened to her.

"I…I'm not going to say we've changed our minds about it, and you will hear us fret constantly. But…" she Jaune looked over as she said. "But mum and dad are saying that maybe you should continue your training at Beacon."

He blinked once. Then twice, then once more just to be sure. "Seriously?" she nodded as he leaned back into his wheelchair. "Whoa…did not think that was going to happen."

"You didn't think what?"

"That mum and dad were going to change their mind. I mean I assumed that as soon as I get discharged, they were going to pull me straight from Beacon and ship me back home. I imagined that there was going to be some yelling, some heated arguments and maybe a broken wall or two. You know us Arc, we like to punch walls."

"I know, remember last year's Winter Solstice while we were lodging in Shion? The shack was so shabby, and the neighbours were so rude, it made everyone so frustrated. By the time we were done, there were no walls left of that place!" He laughed.

"Yeah, but that's what happened when dad tries to find a cheap place at the last minute. He always was a little forgetful. Like you remember the time he forgot their anniversary? Mum was so furious she punched him straight through the roof, we had to redecorate the whole place!" she laughed as well.

"There's still imprints of his face all over the tavern! One of them even has a plaque to remind him of their anniversary!" their laughter roared out, much to the confusion of Adrian and Fenrir who had stopped playing and watched the two siblings.

Eventually, they stopped laughing as they calmed down.

"…We all went through a lot of…I wouldn't say soul searching, but we all had to rethink our decisions. I guess mum and dad must've realised that maybe knowing how to fight would be better for you." He nodded a little at that.

"But that doesn't mean we're going to stop worrying, you hear me Jaune Arc! It means you are going to have to be extra careful from now on. Don't you go trying to play the hero when you don't need to be and don't try risking your own life recklessly! You got a family that worries about you after all!" she scolded as he held up his hands.

"Okay, okay! I promise! Geez, I hate it when you go all mother hen mode."

"Well what do you expect, I am a mother after all." She crossed her arms with a smirk.

"Yeah, but I reckon mum still has you beat. I mean she raised eight kids and you only got one to look after." She snorted out a chuckle.

"True, but little Adrian can be a hand full, I tell you what. You have no idea how much of my stuff goes missing when I turn my back on him." She peeked over as Adrian was standing on top of Fenrir, who was helping the little boy get the sausages off the table.

"Adrian! Get off Fenrir!" both turned in surprise and bolted, hiding under one of the many tables.

Jaune chuckled as he smiled. He then looked back as he held his sister's hand.

"Sis…" she turned to him as he nodded. "I can't promise I'll always be safe, no one can. But I can promise I'll always try my hardest to make it home. You have my word."

She stared before nodding with a sigh. "Okay…I guess that's all I can ask for."

"Amen to that." They turned to see their parents and grandfather as they waited by the door. "I see you two have been having a nice family chat."

"Mum, Dad, Grandpa! Where are the others, I thought you said they'd be here?"

"Oh, your sisters are being delayed for a bit. Work and all that. But they send their regards and hope to see you soon." His mother explained as they walked over and sat down with the siblings.

"Guess that makes sense. Yeah, we were just talking about me going back to Beacon…are you guys sure you're okay with it?" his parents shared a look before nodding back to him.

"We are. It took us a while to come around to it, but we've realised that instead of trying to stop you we should've been helping you. Preparing you for what's out there. We're still not completely comfortable with it, but we agree it's for the best." Jaune smiled a little before turning to his grandfather.

"What about you, grandpa. What are you going to do now, re-join the Iron Wolves?" the old man hummed as he stroked his beard.

"Yes, I will be re-joining them, but I've been giving it a lot of thought. Our family has been through some troubling times ever since we lost Kaer Arc years ago. Then the Iron Wolves had a traitor in our ranks for years, and I lost out ten years of my family's life because of Gaius." Jaune's gaze hardened as he thought about the man who killed Bruno.

"I hope he got what's coming to him," Jaune spoke bitterly as he nodded.

"Don't worry, he's being… _well taken care of_. But anyway, I've been giving it a lot of thought. The Iron Wolves need a place that they can hold up, and the survivors of the Blood Pits need a home too. Most of them don't even have homes to go back to, either destroyed or lost to the Grimm. What we need is a permanent base instead of continuously roaming around…Which is why I've decided to organize a raid with the Vale Council to take back Kaer Arc from the Grimm." Roland and Diana snapped their heads to the man, while Jaune and Saphron looked confused.

"Really, you want to take back our old home?" Roland asked as Cornelius nodded. "But no one has set foot there in over thirty years. There's no telling what state the old homestead will be in."

"I know. It won't be an easy solution. It would take time, resources and a lot of fire-power to take back the old place. But It's easier to retake a place that has established infostructure, then try to recreate it somewhere else that will take more time and resources. Repairing is faster than rebuilding. I have some connections with the Vale Council to convince them to assist us. We had a contract with them once, hopefully, we can convince them again." Roland nodded as he looked to his father.

"If you need any help dad, I'll be there. It's time we retook our family home." Cornelius nodded as he patted his son's hand.

"Thank you…Now, onto another matter." He looked over to Jaune as he hardened his gaze. "Jaune that man and woman at the arena, they were there for you. Why would that be?" Jaune looked concerned, remembering Ozpin's words, before choosing his words carefully.

"I don't know. It might've had something to do with that invasion that was thwarted." He clicked his fingers in remembrance. "I never saw that man before, but the woman I have. She was on a video file I sent to Headmaster Ozpin, and recently on a wanted poster that this woman Raven showed me."

"Raven, as in Raven Branwen?" Roland asked as Jaune nodded.

"You know her?"

"She was a part of team STRQ back in our Huntsman days. She and her team were considered the best of the best back in our Beacon Days. The only ones nearly equal to them was my old, Team ROGE. Kind of like your teams RWBY and JNPR." He shook his head.

"But a short while after graduation she went off the grid, never saw or heard from her again." Diana finished as she remembered hearing from Tai that Raven had gone missing.

"Well, she's leading a Bandit clan at the moment." Roland hummed as he crossed his arms.

"We did hear rumours that she and her brother were former bandits, but I didn't believe them. Guess it makes sense she would go back to that old life."

"It's actually how I met her after the Battle at Riverdale. She found me and took me back to her camp, patched me up. But then she started talking some sort of nonsense I didn't understand, something about Ozpin not being who he says he is, I didn't get it." Unbeknownst to him, his parents shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by Cornelius.

"I didn't really get what she was talking about, but I think it's some serious shi-um…I mean serious stuff." A glare from his mother stopped him from cursing. "I'm supposed to talk to Ozpin about it when I get back to Beacon but, do you guys know what she was talking about?" his parents shared a look before nodding.

"Jaune…men like Ozpin…have _secrets,_ secrets that aren't meant for the world to know. Whatever Raven told you, and whatever it is Ozpin has to tell you…please remember to take it with a grain of salt. There are things out there that _don't need to be shared._ Understand?" his father asked as Jaune stared before nodding.

Saphron and Cornelius looked between the three before the old man sighed.

"Well, that's… _ominous_ ," Cornelius said.

"Can't say I know what's going on, but I get the feeling I'll learn all about it later. In any case, Jaune, there's something I want to give you." Jaune raised an eyebrow as the man fished in his pocket.

"You've shown a great amount of ingenuity and courage during the last five months. You braved the Black Forest, traversed arduous Paths, survived and overcome many great trials. All for the sake of your friends and the ones around you. Its qualities like these that I look for in Iron Wolves. I'd be honoured to give you a place in the Iron Wolves."

Jaune stared in awe as he placed a small badge in front of him with the insignia of the Iron Wolves.

"Really?" he asked as he picked up the badge.

"Well at the moment it's only a symbolic gesture. Real Iron Wolves get Tattoos on their arms to symbolise their loyalty. But your parents won't allow you to get one, not until you're 18-to-21 to join up, and you finish your education first." Roland and Diana nodded as the older man smiled.

"But with this consider yourself an Iron Wolf kid."

"Bark"

They looked down as Fenrir stared up at them and he chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, you too you little mutt." The wolf pup panting happily as it hopped up onto Jaune's lap.

"Thanks, Grandpa. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't kid." He smiled as the family enjoyed what they had lost for so long. A nice and warm moment together, with nothing standing in their way.

"Oh man, this is so cool! I can't wait to show Pyrrha and the others!" he smiled as he held the badge in his hands. Something triggered inside Diana as she turned to her son.

"By the way Jaune." Diana caught his attention as he turned to her.

"It has come to my attention that one of your teammates seems to value you very highly. More so than I would say a regular partner would care." Jaune looked confused before a Cheshire-like-grin spread across her face.

"A certain Red-headed champion that just so happens to have a crush on you." Jaune flinched as his memories came back. "I also heard that you recently found out about her crush," sweat began to gather on his forehead as his mother's and sisters' eyes became predatory.

"Care to explain?"

Jaune had to face insurmountable odds ever since he fell into the Black Forest. He had battled a hundred Grimm, faced off against misguided White Fang, fought off a horde of Grimm and Bandits and even survived in the infamous Blood Pits that had taken countless lives all without a hint of remorse or fear…

But nothing, and he meant nothing, in the world made him more terrified than his mother and sister asking about his personal love life.

"I-Uh-well-uh…." He looked over to the males of the family hoping for some kind of support.

Only to see them avert their gaze. "Well, I think it's time I go talk to Gris, organise the Wolves and everything! Been gone ten years, after all, gotta catch up on all those meetings I've missed!" Cornelius coughed into his hand as he stood up.

"Yes, and I need to take my darling grandson on a nice stroll around Argus!" Roland said as he picked up a confused looking Adrian. "Come on Adrian, its time you hung out with your dear old Grand-pappy!"

"I'll come with you!" Cornelius said as he and the three men stood up and bailed.

' _Cowards! Get back here!'_ Jaune mentally screamed as they walked away. He looked down to Fenrir, who only seemed to whine, look away and hid under the table with his tail between his legs.

'… _Et Tu, Fenrirus?'  
_

"Now," he flinched as he slowly looked back to his mother. "Would you mind explaining why you were so inconsiderate to my potential future daughter-in-law, oh son of mine?"

"Yes, I would like to know that too, brother dearest." their eyes seemed to glow as they struck fear into the boy.

"Uh, well it's kind of complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it." His mother's voice cut him off before she relaxed her gaze and smiled warmly to her child.

"Jaune the moment we met Pyrrha we could tell that she valued you very highly, more so after the funeral where we could see how much you truly meant to her. Yet we learned that you had instead focused most of your attention on the girl named Weiss. Why?"

Jaune hung his head as he sighed. "I don't know, I guess cause I'm an idiot? I didn't really notice until I was lost in the forest how much Pyrrha actually cared about me. All the small things she did for me, all the times she spent helping me get better, I just thought she was just being nice to me. How was I supposed to know she was doing it as a way to get my attention? I mean it's not like she telegraphed it to me?"

Saphron and Diana glared at him with dead emotionless eyes that caused him to quake in his soul.

"Jaune, it was so obvious that she had a crush on you. Heck, from what we heard you could probably see it from the top of Atlas!" Saphron stressed as Jaune hung his head.

"Y-Yeah, I get that now." He sighed as he shook his head.

"I guess I just didn't think about it too much. I mean she's supposed to be this role model for everyone, she has amazing skills, looks and a kind personality that would make anyone jealous. And I was just some country bumpkin that wanted to relive his family's lost glory. What kind of girl like that would be interested in a guy like me?" Diana rolled her eyes at this.

' _Good lord he is just like his father.'_

"So instead of thinking that you weren't' good enough for her, you instead focused on Weiss as what, compensation?" His sister asked as Jaune instantly shook his head.

"What! No, that's not it. I never thought I wasn't good enough or thought of Weiss as compensation! I don't know why I was infatuated with Weiss, but I guess I just liked that Pyrrha was nice to me and treated me like a friend. You know I never l really had a lot of friends growing up, so her being nice to me like that, I just thought she wanted to be my friend." He hung his head as he thought back to his realization.

"But ever since I was in the forest, and I looked over my life, I started to realise that Pyrrha liked me more than just a friend. That those times she helped me was more than what a friend would do. It did kind of helped that I thought about that book you write sis."

Saphron flinched as she avoided her mother's gaze while whistling off-key. _'These children of mine.'_

"When I realised how she felt it made me more determined to get back and confront her about it. It's part of what pushed me to keep going, aside from getting back to everyone else of course." His mother and sister nodded. "But now that I'm back…I don't know what to do? H-How do I go about? I mean I don't like Weiss like I used to anymore, but how the hell am I supposed to feel about Pyrrha? …I don't know what to do?"

Both mother and daughter looked at each other before nodding.

"Well it's simple, you just need to talk to her. Talking doesn't necessarily mean you two have to start a relationship. You're both young teenagers who have never had a meaningful relationship outside of friendship." Diana advised as Saphron nodded.

"She's right Jaune. Sure, one may feel more strongly about the other, but it doesn't mean you have to jump right into it. That's the beauty of dating. You take your time, see how things play out and if your feelings change for her, then that's great. If not…well then you two can still be friends. But first, you need to talk and get it all out in the open. There is no easy or hard way about it. Just talk to her."

Jaune looked a little hesitant about taking advise from his mother and sister. But then again both of them were in strong meaningful relationships, so they had to know something. And they were right, just because Pyrrha had feelings for him didn't mean that he _had_ to return them right away. A part of him worried that by rejecting them he would lose her as a friend, but another part of him was afraid of losing her as something else.

What that was, he needed to find out.

He sighed before nodding. "Okay, thanks…I needed this." The pair smiled at him as Diana placed a comfiting hand on his.

"That's we're here Jaune…that's why we're here."

His journey home may be over. But his path into the future was still long and arduous. But with his family and his friends by his side, he knew somehow, he'd make it out okay. But his greatest trial was still to come, knowing that out in the Darkness, the Night would attempt to encumber the world in black and threaten everything he held dear.

* * *

Omake: A Mother's Request

* * *

In the Cafeteria, Diana, Saphron and Jaune had just finished their conversation as they reminisced on happier times. Saphron showing Jaune photo's of the missing months of Adrian's growth as and his mother smiled at the small child of Saphron and Terra.

"Wow, I missed out on so much. Thanks for doing this for me sis."

"It's no worries Jaune. I'm just glad you're still here and that you can be a proper uncle to him rather than just a photo on the shelf for him." He nodded as he thumbed through the book.

"Yeah, Me too. The last thing I want was to miss out on the little guy growing up. I'm his uncle after all. It's my responsibility to teach him all the manly things about life." He said with confidence.

"Like being used a livening mannequin for his sisters?" she smirked as he blushed and glared at her.

"Never mention that to him… _ever_." He stressed as she laughed while Diana smiled at her children.

Which instantly sparked something in Diana.

"Oh, and Jaune," Jaune looked back to his mother as she smiled. "Regarding our earlier conversation, if you do decide to start a relationship with Pyrrha and it develops into something beautiful and more…" Jaune looked curious as he took a sip of his drink.

"I expect no less than Ten grandchildren."

The drink rocketing out his mouth as it sprayed across the room and left a small rainbow in its wake. Some of the liquid stuck in his lungs as he coughed loudly. Saphron herself had a small blush on her cheeks as she looked incredulously at her own mother.

"T-Ten grandkids! What the hell, Mum!"

"What? It's a perfectly reasonable number. I mean I had eight children after all. And Pyrrha seems like a fully capable girl, kind-hearted. She would make a wonderful mother if given the chance." Steam was spilling out of Jaune's head as he tried to ignore the rather dirty thoughts that began to pile up.

"B-But you already have a grandchild!"

"Oh I know, and I love Adrian, he is so cute and adorable…but I want more damn it!" she slammed her hands into the table. "All my other children are too busy 'focusing on their careers' to give me any more grandchildren, and Saphron says she only wants one child! I had eight children for a reason, to give me more darling grandchildren!" she pointed at the boy.

"So, man up and give me some grandchildren already! …once you've reached a certain age of course." Jaune blushed red as he slammed his head on the table and attempted to hide from the world.

"Gods you are embarrassing!" he groaned as he lay face-first on the table. All the while the Matriarch of the Arc clan laughed.

' _Thank the Gods Pyrrha's not here. I don't think she could take hearing mum's insane request…though I don't doubt she'd be a great mother.'_ His blush deepened as he groaned into the table.

Unbeknownst to him and the others, Pyrrha hid near the entrance of the Cafeteria as she kept her hands over her mouth. Her face blushing red as she constantly muttered the word ten under her breath. Her mind running wild with the thought of small red and blond-haired children calling her 'Mumma'.

"…T-Ten might not be that bad of a number?"

* * *

 **And Scene. Well after so long, sorry for not updating sooner. Here is the XVI of The Legend of the White Wolf. Sorry for the late update, but I've been busy as of late with work, Uni starting up and personal life that I have to sort out. My bed broke so I need to save up and buy a new one. So, with this chapter, I wanted to focus on the family aspect of the Reunion. The Next Chapter is about is friends and his possible relationship with Pyrrha.  
**

 **I mean, yes, they were separated and yes Jaune knows her crush on him. But they still need to talk about what they actually feel for each other. They need to have a deep meaningful conversation about what they should do next…**

 **Which I will need help with because I am alone and have no girlfriend. (Sad Violin Music.) So, other than that, suggestions and PM's would be appreciated and stay tuned for the next exciting chapter in…**

 **Chapter XVII: Knights Rest Part II**


	17. Chapter XVII: Knight's Rest Part II

RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf

"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.

* * *

Chapter XVII: Knights Rest Part II

* * *

Three Days had passed since Jaune was released from Argus Medical and placed in the care of his family. While aura had healed most of his injures, he was still advised to take two weeks to fully recuperate and not to do any strenuous activates. As you can guess Yang made a joke to Pyrrha about this and got a swift kick to the ribs. Literally.

That girl just never learns, does she?

So, for the time being, Jaune and his parents were staying at Saphron's home, while his friends stayed at a rented apartment just down the road. Graciously paid for by the Atlas Military. Jaune currently found himself in his temporary room as he flexed his hands, the bandages finally removed as he was glad to be rid of them.

"You still need to be careful Jaune, the doctor said you have to limit what can do until the two weeks are up." His father advised as Jaune nodded.

"I know, dad. I'm just finally glad to be finally out of that place. It was so boring in there and the food was just… _bleurgh_! I'd actually kill for some pancakes right about now." Roland chuckled at this.

"It's all part of the recuperation process son. Terrible food and all. Off to the Base I see." He noted as his son was dressing himself up.

"Well, I have to give my brief report to Ozpin via the CCT. Apparently, General Ironwood will be there as well, and they want to speak with me personally. Don't know why he requested I wear this uniform though?" he looked down to the Vale version of a Military Uniform. Which consisted mostly of a dark green variant of the Atlas uniform, but with a high collar jacket.

Roland had a feeling and he smiled slightly. "I'm sure it's nothing, son."

"Hey Jaune, hurry up! The car's here!" he heard Nora calling out while beeping on the horn and getting yelled at by the driver.

"You have some very… _exciting_ friends Jaune." Roland said as Jaune chuckled.

"You have no idea. Well best be heading off. Can't keep the General waiting." Jaune said as he exited the room. "Come on Fen," the Wolf following behind him with a new collar around its neck.

"Oh, and Jaune." He stopped as he turned to his father. "I know I wasn't thrilled with the idea of you going to an Academy. But I just want to say… I'm glad you were accepted into Beacon, and that I'm so proud of you." Jaune paused at that as he felt both a happy sensation…

And a twinge of guilt in his chest at the lie he had told his parents.

"…thanks Dad." He turned away and headed out the door, much to the confusion of his father.

Roland shrugged before looking out the window as he and his friends piled into a car.

He smiled as he was glad that his son was alive. It had pained him to learn he had 'died', or more accurately gone missing, that it nearly tore their family apart. But in a way, their son going missing turned into a blessing as well. It made him realise that even if he put away his blade, there were others out there that would rob or harm the ones he loved.

He looked down to his own hand as he gripped it into a fist. "Never again…" he looked back to the base and began his plan to ensure that his family would never come to harm again.

* * *

Argus Base – Atlas Military Outpost

* * *

"WELCOME!" two soldiers of identical dress and size saluted.

"To the glorious!"

"The renown!"

"And the highly esteemed Argus base!" the two identical-looking guards said as they stood before the startled group.

"May we present!"

"Special Operative!"

"Of the Atlas Kingdom!"

"Caroline Cordovin!" they both said as they stood between a small old woman in an Atlas Uniform. The older woman nodded as she saluted.

"…Is everyone from Atlas like this?" Jaune leaned over and whispered to Weiss who bowed her head in shame.

"…Not… _all_ of them." She muttered to herself

"And you girls wonder why I don't visit Atlas." Qrow just snorted.

Cordovin straightened up as she marched towards the group before standing in front of Jaune. "Thank you, it's a pleasure to welcome you all to Argus Base!" she looked over to Jaune. "You must be Jaune Arc, the young man I heard so much about. The General is waiting for you inside." She cast her gaze to Fenrir, as she glared at the wolf.

"Unfortunately, we do not allow _pets_ inside the facility. The… _pet_ will have to wait outside."

Fenrir lowly growled before Jaune kneeled down and placed a hand on his head. "That won't happen, Ma'am. Fenrir is my friend; I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

"Regardless, it's still an animal. Some protocols and procedures must be obliged." She stated once again.

"Is there a problem here?" they turned to see a man with short brown hair and teal-green eyes. He wore a sleeveless Atlesian Specialist uniform that consisted of a white coat, with red and blue accents, and a four-leaf clover pin. His belt had a rabbit's foot keychain hanging off it while also wearing white pants and brown fingerless gloves.

Cordovin stood in salute as did the Nubuck Guards. "Specialist Ebi, sir! I apologise, but this…boy was insisting that direct protocol be breached and allow an animal into the base!" Clover looked down to the small wolf as it titled its head.

"I believe when can allow a lapse in protocol just this once, Specialist. From what I hear the Wolf was instrumental in locating Mister Arc." Fenrir made a small chuckle noise as Cordovin glared at the animal. "You may be excused." He said as she nodded and marched away with the Nubuck guards in tow.

"I apologise for Specialist Cordovin she can be… _overly patriotic_ and tends to overact to certain things. In any case, it is an honour to have you here." He shook the young man's hand.

"Likewise, Specialist Ebi, right?" Jaune asked as the man chuckled.

"Call me Clover. A pleasure to meet you too, I've heard stories about you. What you've been through…you must be one hell of a trooper. Ever consider joining the Academy in Atlas?" he offered as Jaune shook his head.

"Sorry, but my place is at Beacon." His friends smiled at that.

"That's a shame, but the offer still stands. In any case, the General is inside, best not keep him waiting." He gestured to the base as Jaune and his friends nodded and followed the man inside. When they reached a large looking room with a holoprojector they were met with General Ironwood as well as Ozpin via Holographic form.

" _Ah, Mister Arc, glad you could join us. And I see the rest of Teams RWBY and PNR-no, Team JNPR are here as well. Then we can begin."_

The Holo-Ozpin greeted as Jaune nodded. "Headmaster, General Ironwood." Jaune greeted. "I don't understand, begin what, my debriefing?" he asked with some confusion.

" _Almost Mister Arc, but before that, we have something else to discuss. You are aware of the potential invasion plot that was thwarted nearly two weeks ago, correct?"_

Jaune nodded.

"Mister Arc, the reason the invasion was thwarted was due to data we had received anonymously that contained evidence of a White Fang terrorist plot being funded by unknown individuals. Most of which were Human." Ironwood explained as he brought up the wanted posters of Cinder, Mercury and Emerald.

"While the White Fang under Adam Taurus has denied allegations of working with humans, High Leader Sienna Khan has renounced his actions and deemed him a traitor to their people," Clover explained as he stood near the General. "From what I hear, he didn't take it too well."

Footages of Adam's Loyalists showed starting them starting riots and attacking other SDC facilities.

Blake hung her head at the mention of her old flame but inwardly felt relieved that he was no longer considered a member of her old organization.

" _Mister Arc, given the broadcast location of the Data and its proximity to the Black Forest, we strongly believe it was you that transferred the data, yes?"_

Jaune nodded. "Yes sir. To be honest I just happened to stumble on it while I was trying to find my way home. I thought I could use their relay to contact Beacon, but when I found the data…I just couldn't leave it there."

"You made the right call, Mister Arc," Ironwood said. "If it hadn't been for that, the Vytal Festival would've turned into a bloodbath. Beacon, as well as the Kingdom of Vale, could've potentially fallen into ruin."

"Not to mention he saved Atlas from being Humiliated and Disgraced. Don't forget about that jimmy." Qrow remarked from his spot near the wall as the General sighed.

"Yes, as well as sparing Atlas from being a pawn in the invasion." He coughed into his hand. Ozpin shook his head as he turned to the young man.

" _In any case, Jaune Arc. One of the reasons you are here right now is to both to congratulate you and award you for your services to the Kingdoms with honorary awards."_

Jaune had a somewhat stunned look on his face. "A-Awards. You're giving me a Medal, me?" he asked with a confused look. "What am I getting a medal for?"

"Well two medals, actually and it's because of your actions that distinguished your characteristics." Ironwood explained as he placed his arms behind his back.

"The choices you made were vital in the continued security of both the Kingdoms of Vale and Atlas. As well as the account of heroism you displayed in saving the citizens of Riverdale, nearly sacrificing yourself for the greater good. Not to mention your survival of the Blood pits. Actions like that do not go unnoticed or unrewarded." Ozpin nodded as he turned his holographic head to him.

" _Which is why the Councils of Vale and Atlas hereby award you the Valerian Wreath of Valour and the Atlesian Cross of Honour. Congratulations Mister Arc."_

Jaune looked hesitant as the General pinned two medals on his chest. One was a Gold Wreath with two axes, while the other was a silver spear in an X-shape. "Wear them with pride Mister Arc." Ironwood praised as Jaune looked at the shiny metal on his chest.

"Way to go fearless leader!" Nora cheered as she slapped a hand on his back. "You look like a General with those medals on! Guess I should start calling you Fearless General now, huh?"

"That's not how the chain of command works, Nora. Technically we're not even part of the Military, we're more like mercenaries than anything." Ren explained before patting a silent Jaune's shoulder. "But all the same, congratulations Jaune, you earned them."

"Yeah, I mean if I went through half the stuff you did, I'd want a medal." Yang grinned as she hung her arm around the boy's shoulder. "Tell you what though, girls are going to line up for you now. There's nothing more attractive than a man in uniform. Eh, Pyrrha?" she turned over to Pyrrha who blushed at the comment while simultaneously glaring at Yang.

Yang was about to say more until she was pulled by the ear, curtesy of Blake. "That's enough out of you." She scolded the blond brawler, while also giving her own nod to Jaune. "Congratulations Jaune."

"I will admit, with the Uniform, the haircut and the medals, you actually look like more dignified now," Weiss commented before she realised. "That probably sounded too harsh, sorry. What I'm trying to say, we're happy to have you back. And I'm grateful you saved my life all those months ago…" she then gave him a small hug, one that made Pyrrha bristle, before breaking off.

"Thank you," she said, though not that Jaune seemed to notice as his mind appeared elsewhere.

"Okay Tsundere Queen," Yang finally said as she pulled the maddened heiress away. "Other people have something to say too."

Ruby smiled as she patted Jaune's shoulder, as she and Pyrrha stood side by side. "Way to go Jaune,"

"We're very proud of you," Pyrrha said as she smiled warmly at him, before noticing the frown on his face. "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Ozpin and ironwood raised a brow as Jaune shook his head and fingered the medals on his chest. His father's words still ringing in his head and the guilt he felt about the lie he had sheltered since he first walked into Beacon. He knew that to get rid of this feeling, he had to tell the truth.

"…I don't deserve these."

"Oh, come on, don't give us that crap Jaune. That is one of the oldest and most cliched things to say." Yang rolled her eyes. "Of course, you deserve them. You've literally been through hell and back, and saved two whole Kingdoms in the process, of course, you deserve them. Why would you think-?"

"Because there's something I have to confess…" he hung his head as he prepared for what he had to say.

"I…I never actually went to a training academy. I got some forged documents and lied my way into Beacon…" he closed his eyes and expected the worse. Pyrrha's eyes widened as he told the secret he had hide from everyone but her and Cardin, via eavesdropping. She looked around to everyone else who remained silent and blank, fearing how they would react.

Especially with the slight disapproving scowl on Ironwoods face.

"Truth is I should never have been allowed into Beacon. I should've never been placed in charge of a team and I never should've been accepted in the first place…I should've been kicked out from the start." He plucked the medals off his chest as he held them in his hands.

"I lied to my family, I lied to my friends and I feel like I lied to everyone that stood by me at Riverdale as we fought off those bandits. Those people trusted me and died believing I was some sort of professional. When the truth was, I was just lucky…I don't deserve these…" he then gripped his fist.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop and wallow in pity." Ozpin raised an eyebrow as the boy looked back up. "I made mistakes, and did something wrong, I can't change that. But I want to make it right. I want to start over with a fresh slate." He looked back up as he breathed in. "So, I will accept any punishment you deem necessary and earn my place back in Beacon."

He waited with nervous but determined patience as Ozpin and Ironwood looked between each other before looking back at Jaune. Ozpin then smirked as he waved his hand.

" _Mister Arc…did you truly believe I didn't know about your transcripts being fake?"_

Jaune looked up in surprise as the man inwardly chuckled at his dumbfounded face.

 _"Mister Arc I've been a headmaster for a very long time. The transcripts you sent me were so easy to spot, you may as well have sent me a piece of paper saying, 'I'm fake' written all over it."_

Jaune blushed and mentally made a note to find that forger and give him a piece of his mind.

" _The truth is Mister Arc I was originally planning on having you escorted off the premise, once the test was over. But then I noticed how you effectively led your future team, with no training and no experience whatsoever. You have a natural gift of analysing the situation, finding the best course of action and exploiting that to your advantage. You are a natural-born leader, do not doubt yourself."_

He advised as Jaune absorbed his words.

" _Besides, being a Huntsman doesn't mean you have to have come from a training Academy. There have been others that have taken less…official routes. Some of your friends didn't even attend an Academy but were accepted by their skill alone."_

He looked over to his friends as surprisingly Ren, Nora and even Blake nodded.

" _Point is, Mister Arc, you were accepted not because of a piece of paper. But by your skill and determination alone. Besides, after all, that you've accomplished for us simple documents can be overlooked. Isn't that right General?"_

Ironwood stared before nodding.

"Agreed. While morally I'm against the idea of someone using forged documents to get into an Academy, I cannot deny the fact you've accomplished more in a few weeks then what entire legions had failed to do in years. So, as a favour, I will overlook this. But do not think this allows you free reign to do whatever you like. For now, continue to prove your worth." Jaune was shocked but nodded, feeling as if a weight was removed from his chest.

 _"Now, if that is all I would kindly ask the rest of the Team, except Mister Arc, to leave the room. We still have much to debrief him on."_

Ozpin asked as they looked at each other, "It's okay guys. I'll catch up with you at the Park, okay?" Jaune said as they nodded and left the room. Jaune gave a soft wave to his friends before he was left alone with the two headmasters and Qrow Branwen.

" _For the record Mister Arc, due to the sensitivity of this nature, we must keep this brief until you are back at Beacon Academy. We are still wary of possible intrusions in our system. Now, according to reports, after the battle of Riverdale you had been taken prisoner by a Raven Branwen, is this correct?"_

The headmaster asked as the young man nodded. "Yes sir."

" _What was the purpose?"_

"She wanted me to join her bandit tribe to make it stronger. She said that there was 'something' out there and that it would be wise if I joined her."

"Not to be rude kid, but why would my sister ask you to join her clan? If you were as injured as we believe, then why didn't she just kill you?" Jaune raised an eyebrow at this

"You're Raven's brother?"

"Unfortunately." He sighed as Jaune nodded at this.

"Sorry. Well, mostly it was due to the fact I was able to hold back an entire Bandit and Grimm attack, but truthfully I think it was due to my new… _abilities_." Ozpin, ironwood and Qrow raised an eyebrow at his.

"Abilities?" Ironwood asked as Jaune focused his aura. A blade of pure white appeared in his hand as the Headmasters and Qrow were surprised at the sudden weapon.

"Fascinating…" he muttered as he stared at the weapon. He walked over and touched it as he marvelled at the solid-state. "You managed to solidify aura into a physical construct. I assumed only the Schnee family was capable of such a feat…is this part of your semblance?" Jaune shook his head as he dispelled the weapon.

"No, it was something I came up within the Black forest. I wanted to show my friends this first, but given the circumstances, I figured it would be best to show you first. I came up with it while I was held up in a set of Ruins I found there." Ozpin raised a curious eyebrow at this.

" _Ruins? What type of Ruins?"_

Jaune merely shrugged as he pulled out his journal. "I'm not really sure, but it was old…I mean really old."

He gave the journal to Ironwood as he showed it to the others. "I think it was a Temple at some point and there was this mural there, depicting these two figures. I think they were Gods. But I couldn't really tell you. But the strangest thing was that the Temple protected me from the Grimm." Ironwood and Qrow raised a surprised look, while Ozpin looked curious.

"A temple that protected you from the Grimm. I must admit I find that impossible to believe." Ironwood said as Jaune who shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I can't really explain it myself. But it's true." He said as the three men looked over the pages.

" _Interesting, I didn't realise there was a surviving monument to the old Gods?"_

Ozpin observed as he took note of the Mural with the Twin Gods and the Wolves at their feet. Gesturing to Ironwood who took a photo of the symbols before handing them the journal back to Jaune.

"If these markings can truly hold back Grimm. Then we may need to send an expedition into the Black Forest." Ironwood surmised as Qrow sighed.

"…Yeah, figures that's why she kept you alive. She probably wanted you to teach the tribe how to replicate your skill and use it against us. Maybe even learn more about a Temple that could ward off Grimm." He scoffed a little. "Though I am surprised she let you go so easily. Even if you beat her in combat, the Raven I know wouldn't let something like this just slip through her fingers."

"Well after Fenrir turned into a Giant Wolf, she really didn't have much of a choice." The three adults looked down at Fenrir, who was busy biting his butt, before looking at the adults with a confused look.

"…I see…" Ironwood was sceptical, while Ozpin held his gaze on the growing wolf pup.

 _"Mister Arc, while you were detained by Raven…did she tell you anything else? anything that could be of help to us?"_

Ozpin asked as Jaune nodded. "Yeah, she said…that there was someone out there controlling the Grimm and that there's more to you then what's on the surface." Ozpin held a grave look on his face. "What did she mean by that? Is there really someone out there controlling the Grimm, and what did she mean that there's something hidden under the schools?"

The Headmasters and Qrow shared a look between themselves. "Kid, what you have to realise…is that there is more to this world than you currently know. Things that would make your head spin." Qrow started as he opened his flask.

" _Which I believe right now is not the right time and place for this. Our channels may not be fully secure."_

Ozpin advised as Qrow nodded. "Mister Arc, did you learn anything else of relevance?" Ironwood asked as Jaune shook his head.

 _"Then I can assure you that everything is under control. Some things need to be discussed, but that can occur later. For now, I would advise that you take this well-deserved time off. Get yourself sorted and hope to see you soon at Beacon. You are dismissed."_

Jaune was hesitant but nodded and turned to leave the room, before stopping at the door. "Headmaster?" the hologram looked up as Jaune turned to him. "Whatever's going in, is going to involve my friends, right?" the hologram said nothing.

"Okay…well if it does…" he gripped his fist. "I want to end it." He spoke with pure determination before he and Fenrir left the room.

"…You didn't tell him?" Qrow asked.

" _Mister Arc has been through a harrowing ordeal. Unloading the truth of everything could be too much for him. For now, we let him rest, gather our forces and prepare for her counterattack. Because if there is one thing…Salem will not let this end peacefully."_

* * *

Argus – Commercial District

* * *

Jaune limped his way through the streets as he made his way to the commercial district of Argus. Fenrir by his side as the growing wolf, now just a bit to his knee, trotted beside him. But whilst he walked his mind was reviewing the discussion he had with Ozpin and the General.

It was clear there was more going on than what was on the surface, things that seemed highly secretive and no doubt went deeper the more he explored.

"But right now, I don't give a crap about secret orders or cults, right now I just want to relax and spend time with my family and friends" he paused when he remembered that Pyrrha had feelings for him.

' _Oh yeah, need to deal with that too…oh boy.'_ He thought to himself as he blushed. _'Now that my life isn't in danger, I now have to deal with the fact that my partner has a crush on me…a very obvious and real crush…'_

' _Not to mention that everyone, including my family, knows about it and expects me to give her an answer.'_ he rubbed a hand through his short hair and across his ever-growing facial hair.

'I know I should just talk to her about it and find out how we should deal with this…but, how do you even start something like that!? D-Do I have to start it? Does she? And where and when?! Argh! Relationships are so confusing!' Jaune mentally battled himself as he ran a hand over his face.

"Although I think I might need to shave first…but I do like the look it gives me." He muttered to himself as walked along the streets.

"Jaune!" he paused as he looked over to the markets, he smiled when he saw his sister and Terra out for a stroll. Little Adrian was sitting comfortably in his stroller, with his favourite toy plane in his mouth. "Over here Jaune!"

"Oh, hey sis. What are you guys doing here?" he asked as he walked over to them.

"Terra has the day off, so we decided to go for a walk," Saphron explained as Terra nodded.

"I've been meaning to spend more time with the Family, but works been busy that I hardly find the time," she explained as she bent down to ruffle Adrian's hair who giggled. "How about you, we heard that you were at the Argus Base. Anything interesting happened?"

"Well I got a few medals, but that's about it."

"Really, congratulations!" Saphron said as she hugged her brother.

"It's not that big of a deal, besides, I didn't become a huntsman just to get medals. I wanted to live up to the family name and keep the people I love safe." He let go of his sister as he patted his nephew on the head.

"Well I'm still proud of you Jaune," Saphron said as she smiled at her brother who smiled back. "So, what are you up to now?"

"I'm going to meet my friends at the Park. We decided to meet up after my briefing with the Headmaster. I'm just on my way now." He gestured to the park a small walk away.

"Oh, well don't stay out too late. You know how grumpy you get past your bedtime." Saphron said as she grinned at Jaune's disgruntled face.

"Not funny sis, not funny." She chuckled as he broke out into a small smile, especially when she and Terra chuckled with their son. "Hey sis," she looked back as he rubbed the back of his head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Jaune. What is it?"

"How did you and Terra…you know…get together?" he asked as they looked confused. "I mean I know how you two met but, how did you two…you know...make the first move?" he asked as Saphron blinked before she smirked.

"Would this have anything to do with a certain Champion that mum wants you to have ten grandkids with?" she asked while Terra coughed in surprise and Adrian jut looked confused adorably.

He blushed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah…I know you and mum had the talk with me. But honestly, I'm scared. I don't know how I should even start talking to her about this. Should I take her on a date? Ask her to meet me somewhere? Or should I just come out and say it? What did you two do?" he asked as the couple looked to themselves.

"Well…" Saphron started as she looked to her wife. "It's not really a matter of where or when you want to start talking about your feelings. It's more of…uh…" she began, suddenly feeling embarrassed about talking relationship advise with her brother.

To which Terra rolled her eyes and decided to spare her wife the misery.

"Its more about how willing you are to start a relationship." She spoke plainly, as he turned his attention to his sister in law. "The thing about all relationships is that it doesn't just happen by accident or randomly. You must take the initiative to want to be with someone." She looked over to her wife as she smiled.

"To make the first moves, to take the first step is the most important part of any relationship. It shows that you care for them, that you want to be with them. No matter what others might say, or how scared you might be. All that truly matters is if you _want_ to take the first step or not." She said as Saphron smiled lovingly then smirked.

"Oh really? Is that why when we first met you tried to stutter out a date request until I said yes?" she said as Terra momentarily lost her composure and blushed a deep red.

"I-It wasn't like that! I wasn't nervous! It was winter! I was cold and forgot about my jacket! That's all!" she blushed and looked away as Saphron giggled and hugged her wife.

"You are soo~ cute!"

"I-I am not! Shut it!"

"Yes, you are!"

"You are insufferable!"

"And you love it"

Jaune smiled as he watched the two lovingly played with each other as he felt renewed about how he had to deal with his feelings towards his partner. "I think I understand." He spoke out, breaking their conversation and smiling at them. "Thank you, I know what I have to do."

They nodded as Jaune turned his way towards Argus Park, where his friends and the girl who liked him waited.

* * *

Argus Park

* * *

Jaune eventually caught up to his friends as they waited for him near the Argus Park. The Autumn leaves beginning to fall as they changed from green to orange and brown.

"Hey guys, sorry I took so long. Ran into my sister on the way and had a small chat."

"It's fine Jaune family is important after all," Pyrrha said as she waved the boys concerns away.

"Well, that was…interesting," Yang said as she placed her arms behind her head. The base in the distance, "We came all the way here, and now we have the whole day to ourselves." She turned back to the group. "Any suggestions?"

"Well, we could hang out at the Commercial District, they have this wonderful little Café I know," Pyrrha suggested as Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"You've been here before?"

"Of course, she has you dunderhead, Pyrrha was practically born here! She graduated from Sanctum Academy for crying out loud!" Weiss informed as Jaune blinked.

"I didn't know you were born here." Pyrrha blushed a little.

"Yes, well…I didn't think it was that important. I've lived here all my life, so I guess it didn't really matter to me." She said as he pondered.

"Strange, cause I used to visit my sister after she moved out here on occasions. I'm surprised that I never bumped into you." Pyrrha shrugged at this.

"Well after the tournaments and the sponsorships, as well as my studies at Sanctum, I never really had much free time on my hands. The only times I had off I usually spent with my family or at the Café, so I'm not surprised we didn't meet each other till Beacon." Jaune thought about it then nodded.

"So, Jaune. What did the Headmasters want to talk to you about?" Nora asked as she walked alongside Ren. "I mean it must've been pretty hush-hush if we had to leave the room and all." Jaune held his mouth shut as he thought about what the Headmaster told him.

"Kind of, they just wanted to know what happened after Riverdale and said that they would continue the debriefing once I get back to Beacon." He stopped as he looked at everyone. "By the way, you guys really okay with the truth about my transcripts?"

Everyone looked at each other as they nodded. "Well, yeah Jaune. Why wouldn't we be?" Ruby asked as Jaune held up his fingers.

"Because I lied to you all, I did something probably illegal and honestly I was certain Weiss was going to chew my ear off about it." He pointed to the Heiress who blushed at the insinuation, especially when everyone else nodded.

"I'm a little insulted that you would all automatically think that of me…And yes, I might've chewed you out about it if this was a few months ago. But, in recent events, I've learned that not everything is black and white and that having titles or privileges doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. Besides, you saved my life at the Fort. The least I can do is forgive you for some stupid documents."

"And as the Headmaster said, some of us didn't even go to a Primary School. Like Nora and I, we pretty much were accepted after we showed our skill, same as you." Ren pointed out as Nora nodded in agreement.

"And to be fair, I would be the last person to call you out on it Jaune," Blake said as Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"Why is that?"

"In case you've all forgotten, I was once part of a less then… _reputable_ organization. Do you honestly think I would've gotten in through pure honesty? Hi, my name is Blake and I used to be a Terrorist, can I join?" she raised a sceptical eyebrow as Jaune nodded.

"Fair point."

"I did the same thing as you. And like you, Ozpin saw past it and accepted me at Beacon Academy. Besides, you've more than proved you belong there. And you're our friend, we're not going to let a little thing like a piece of paper get in the way of that."

The others nodded as they voiced their agreement. "Yeah, what Blake said."

"You bet,"

"Was there ever any doubt?"

"Friends stick together!"

"Can we get pancakes?"

"Damn it, Nora."

Jaune smiled as he and the others shared a heartful laugh. Happy that he was amongst true friends like these.

"By the way Jaune." His attention was turned to Ren as they continued to walk. "We managed to retrieve some of your gear from Shion, one of which was a bow. I was unaware you knew how to use one."

"Yeah, no offences Jaune but I thought you were the sword and shield type of guy?" Yang asked as they walked through a small section of a park.

"You guys found that? Yeah, I made that when I was in the forest. My grandfather gave me a few lessons before he disappeared. It came in handy surviving the Forest, well, until I discovered my new power." The other raised an eyebrow at this.

"New power?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune smirked.

"Yeah…check this out." He held out his hand and concentrated his aura, the energy quickly taking shape as Soul Sabre formed in his hand. The others stepping back in surprise as they marvelled at the glowing white blade.

"Whoa! How did you do that!?" Ruby asked with wide eyes as she looked over the blade. Weiss herself looked over the blade.

 _'Incredible, I thought only my family had this kind of power. How did Jaune manage to accomplish it?'_ she wondered as she still had not been able to activate the summoning power of her Semblance.

"Holy Pancakes! This is awesome!" Nora said just as excitedly as she got right up close to the aura weapon. "Is this like, part of your semblance!?" she asked as Jaune pondered on that.

"Kind of. I remember Pyrrha telling me we use our aura to shield our bodies and sharpen our weapons. And when I fell all I had was my handcrafted knife, which didn't do much against the Grimm. So, I decided, why not make a sword out of it?" he said as held the blade in his hands.

"So, does this mean you won't be using a regular weapon anymore?" Yang asked as Jaune shook his head and dispelled the weapon.

"No, it costs aura to make one then simply augmenting a weapon. Sure, it has more cutting power and a ton of other applications. But in extended fights, I need to rely on regular steel. I'd show you guys what else I made, but I'd rather not get arrested…" he looked over as the Police that had been keeping an eye on him ever since he summoned the weapon.

"So~ do you think you could teach us how to make one?" Ruby asked with wide and hopeful eyes, as little stars shone in her pupil. Seriously how did she do that? To which he just shrugged.

"I'm not a hundred per cent sure. I think part of it does have something to do with our semblances. My Semblance is amplifying aura, so I think I subtly use that to solidify my aura. If I tried teaching it to you guys, it might have some different effects depending on your semblances? They might not even be that stable?" he shrugged.

"But you can teach us right!? Because it would so cool if I could make a Crescent Rose from my Aura! Not that I would ever replace my precious baby!" she hugged the weapon to her chest.

"…Seriously, sis, you need to cut that out." Yang deadpanned as she pulled her sister away from the others.

Jaune smiled as he looked at all their impressed faces, full of awe at his new skill…except for Pyrrha, who he noted had a rather small smile but did not convey the right emotion. It appeared she was happy, but also sad.

"Hey guys, can you give me and Pyrrha a minute? I need to talk to her about something." He asked as they blinked in confusion.

Until their minds instantly snapped back to the revelation of Pyrrha's feelings and assumed it was about a confession. Pyrrha herself became stiff as a plank.

 _'T-T-T-Talk! He wants to talk about it now! B-But my heart's not emotionally ready! This is going too fast! Someone, help!'_ she snapped her gaze to the others as she looked to everyone for some sort of support.

"Y-Yeah! Sure! No problem! Take all the time you need! Come on guys lets go!" Ruby said as she and the others started dragging the rest away and her heart sank.

"What!? But I've been waiting for this moment since we started Beacon! Do not make me miss out on my OTP coming to life!" Nora complained as Ren dragged her away.

"Nora!" Ren stressed as he pulled the smaller girl away. Fenrir followed him after a look from his master that told him to follow the others.

"You too Blake, you get inspirations for your own Novel somewhere else," Yang said as she pulled the Faunus away, who somehow had her own notebook in her hand.

' _Wait! Come back! I'm not ready!'_ she mentally pleaded, only to watch them disappear into the city. "…Poop."

"…Okay, that was…odd. What the heck is an OTP?" Pyrrha blushed at the word before Jaune returned his gaze to her. "So, now that we're alone, there's something I think we should talk about." Pyrrha could practically hear her own heart beating in her chest, as she stood before her crush.

' _Okay, okay, you can do this! So, he knows about your feelings, big deal, it should make it easier to talk about them, right?'_ she looked over to the young man she admired and the serious gaze that made her cheeks heat up.

' _Nnnnnnnnope! I can't do this! I'm not ready for this! My heart is going to explode in my chest! Forgive me Mama Arc, but I'm not ready to give you ten grandchildren yet!_ '

"Pyrrha," she flinched when he softly grabbed her hand. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked with a voice that made her rapidly beating heart flutter.

"Y-Y-Yes!? Why would you ask!?" she asked as she tried to control her feelings.

"Well, it's just that I just noticed you weren't exactly happy when I showed everyone Soul Sabre." She felt herself calming down as he looked into her eyes. "Where you…upset?"

"What? No of course not, I'm amazed and extremely proud of what you accomplished. Truly I am."

"Then why did you look upset?" he asked as she avoided his gaze as rubbed her arm out of habit.

"It nothing, really, you'd probably think it's selfish."

He scoffed at that. "Pyrrha, the entire time I've known you, you are by far the least selfish person I've met. Whatever it is you're feeling, you can tell me." He walked over and placed a comforting hand on hers. "I'm here for you."

Pyrrha smiled a little "It's…It's stupid, but…" she sighed as they sat down on a bench on the park. "I just…I feel like you don't need me anymore." He raised an eyebrow at this in confusion.

"I feel like now that you have this new skill and ability, what do you need me for? I'm proud of what you've accomplished and how far you've grown, I am. But…I secretly enjoyed our training sessions together. Just spending time with you alone, rather than with everyone else. But now that you've gotten stronger…I feel like you don't need me anymore."

The leaves rustle as Jaune stared at his partner before knowing exactly what to say.

"Pyrrha how can you say that? Of course, I need you. I need you now more than ever! You're my partner and my best friend, I'm always going to need you. Because we are partners, and we have to watch each other's backs, right?" she nodded at that. "And besides there's nothing wrong feeling that way, you're allowed to be selfish once and while. In truth, I enjoyed the alone time we had too." She blushed at that.

"I mean you're the only one that's had my back since Beacon. Sure, Ruby was my first friend, and I can always count on Ren and Nora for help. But you've been there for me when I needed you the most. When I nearly fell to my death during the initiation test, when I confessed to you about my Transcripts, and you wanted to help train me just so I didn't flunk out. Anyone else would've turned me in or given up. And don't think I didn't know you altered my shield's course when I fought that Ursa." She looked back in shock as he nodded.

"I went over that fight during my time in the forest, I know you helped and I'm glad for it." He smiled at her. "You've been there for me without asking for anything in return. You've saved my life even when I was being an idiot. And if it wasn't for your training, I would've died a long time ago. You're an important part of my life, I'm always going to need you. No matter what happens."

She smiled tenderly as she rubbed her arm with a soft blush in her cheeks. "But aside from that," he began as she turned back. "There's something else we need to talk about…your crush…on _me,_ " a faint blush in his cheeks, as she felt her heart increase rapidly but nodded.

"Okay…so this is…this is a lot to talk about, and I don't really know if now's the best time to talk about it. But if we don't address it sooner, it will never get resolved." He breathed a calming breath as he looked to her. "So, as you know I…kind of figured out you have a crush on me…a very obvious one apparently." He admitted embarrassingly as she nodded.

"I…apparently wasn't very subtle about it myself." She admitted as he nodded.

"Looking back on it…yeah, I'm an idiot." He shook his head and sighed.

"Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it…I don't know how to feel about this." He admitted. "Not to say that I can't be with you, or can't imagine being with you," he quickly corrected hoping not to hurt her feelings. "But the truth is…I don't know exactly how I am supposed to feel about you? I mean for the first four months you've been a partner and a best friend to me. Then the Black Forest happened, and suddenly I find out my partner has a huge crush on me."

He sat back on the bench as he looked up the trees.

"At the time I was confused and kicking myself for not noticing, which in turn pushed me to get back sooner. But now that I'm here, I don't know how I'm supposed to process this. I feel happy about it, that there's a girl that 'actually' likes me. But at the same time, I just can't understand it." He looked back to her as she listened intently.

"I mean out of everyone in Beacon, heck in the entire world, you develop a crush on me. _Me._ The guy who basically lied his way into Beacon and didn't have a landing strategy. Heck, I even flirted with Weiss in front of you, terribly I might add…I am never going to use dad's advice again." He muttered under his breath as Pyrrha raised an eyebrow.

"Look the point I'm trying to make is that I am not perfect, so what was it about me that made you so…" he paused to find the right words. "What made you have a crush on me?"

Pyrrha stared her partner as she used this moment to carefully choose the right words. Words that she had been practising before he went missing, but never dared to say. Now that it was out in the open and they were addressing it, there was no need to hold back.

"Honestly? When I first came to Beacon, I was trying to start a new life. For most, I loved Argus and its people, but after the Tournament wins, I've been on this pedestal and known as the four-time unbeatable champion. The 'Invincible Girl' that is an inspiration to aspiring Huntsman and Huntresses everywhere. It made me famous, but with that fame came isolation from a lot of people. They were intimidated by my status and that made me feel…alone." She ventured her feelings as Jaune listened carefully.

"Then I saw you interacting with Ruby in the Auditorium and I will admit was I intrigued. You seemed so… _normal_ , no offence!" She quickly apologised as he shook his head.

"It's fine, I was pretty plain looking." He admitted with a chuckle.

"Right…anyway, I wanted to experience the same interaction Ruby had and wanted to introduce myself. But I was afraid that you would recognise me and treat me like everyone else did. Either to use me or to avoid me. Weiss was an example of the type of people I wanted to avoid. Then we met again in the locker room and you treated me so differently from anyone I've ever met." She smiled as she played with the hem of her skirt.

"Mostly because I didn't know a thing about you." He admitted but let her continue.

"Right, anyway, you didn't treat me like I was some four-time champion. Like I was some prodigy to look up to. You treated me like I was just another girl like I was just one of the many…even with the bad flirting." She giggled as he groaned.

"…Never taking Dad's advice again." He stressed before he turned back to her. "So, was that it, I treated you normally?" she shook her head.

"Not just that. The more time we spent together and got along, I started to see more of who you were and what you wanted to be. You have this admirable goal of living up to your family's legacy and showed this determination and drive that pushed you to get better…even though you probably should've spent less time reading X-Ray and Vav." She giggled as he chuckled as well.

"Yeah…but you have to admit they're pretty entertaining?" he asked she nodded before continuing.

"It made me admire you, and eventually I developed a crush on you. At first, I wanted to express them, but I saw how infatuated you were with Weiss, so I decided that it would be better if I just supported you."

"Pyrrha…" he felt guilt in his chest.

"It's fine, I was okay with you dating Weiss. Because all I wanted was to make you happy." She gave her usual smile that masked her sadness, something Jaune saw right through this time.

"But what about you?!" he asked, as he grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "What about your feelings?! You've done so much for me, even when I was being a downright dumb ass. It's not fair on you that I was trying to get together with Weiss when you obviously had feelings for me! You've got to stop thinking about what others want and start thinking about what you want!" Pyrrha felt her heartbeat rapidly at the sudden intensity.

"Pyrrha, I will admit that I'm not the best at understanding girls. But you mean so much to me, you are kind and generous and so, _so_ very patient with me. If you wanted to talk about how you felt about me, I would've listened. And I will admit…I'm not against the idea of dating you." Both their cheeks flushed red.

"I…I just didn't want to ruin what we had." She said as Jaune nodded.

"I…I get that too…but." He started as he shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes you have to be a little selfish. You don't have to do what everyone tells you. Because I believe that if anyone deserves happiness…it's you, Pyrrha." She averted his gaze as a soft blush and a gentle smile spread across her lips.

A gentle silence settled between them as the gentle cool winds of Autumn swept away the dying leaves.

"So…" Pyrrha started as she looked back to him, completely forgetting that his hands were still on her arms. "What happens now?"

"Well…I don't know? I mean, like I said I'm not against the idea of dating you and there's still a lot that I need to figure out." He said as she began to look dejected. "But I reckon the only way I'm going to sort these feelings out is if we go on a date." She looked up hopefully as her eyes shimmered, but was just as nervous about what would happen next.

"I mean that's usually the most logical step, right? Two people go on a date and see what happens. If it goes well and we continue it, then maybe…we could be more?" he asked just as nervous. "But if it doesn't then we agree to be friends and no matter what, we'll always be there for each other."

She smiled as she nodded. "Yes, I agree…"

"I guess I should probably ask you out now, right?" he asked as she nodded.

"Okay, so…I um…Pyrrha, would you like to go on a-"

"Yes!" she said pre-emptively, startling the young man while she covered her mouth with a blush over her cheeks. "I-I mean, yes. I would love to go on a date with you." She tried to compose herself as Jaune nodded.

"Okay, I-I mean good! Great! I'll, pick you up at 8? No, wait when should it be? Uh, how about next week. I hear there's a new Spruce Willies film coming out, and I've kind missed out on a lot of them since I've been away. Is that an okay thing for a date?" he asked as she just chuckled.

"It's fine Jaune, I'm more than up to it. I'm a little bit of a Spruce Willis fan myself."

"So, I guess it's a date?" he asked with a smile as she smiled back.

"It's a date."

They both smiled at each potherb as they were glad to finally talk about their feelings. But as they did the world around them slowly began to grow quiet and they began to get lost in each other's eyes. Maybe it had something to do with the location, the soft breeze, the setting sun behind them or the fact that they had just vented out their feelings. But for some reason, they felt like they could be lost in the moment for what seemed like an eternity…

Until

"OH, JUST KISS ALREADY!" a voice suddenly yelled out as they were snapped out of their trance. They cracked their heads towards the bushes as they spotted their friends staring in bewilderment at Yang, who had stood up, and now looked like a Valerian Deer caught in the Dust Lights.

"Uh…I mean…Caw?"

Blake slapped her forehead as she could not believe her partner. Ruby meekly held up her hand as she waved. "Hey~…sorry." She said as Jaune just stared in bewilderment.

"W-Were you guys here the whole time?!" he asked as they shook their heads.

"No, no, no…okay yes," Nora admitted as Ren bowed. Fenrir tucked his ears and lowered his head as an apology to his master.

"I'm sorry, I just got dragged in." he apologised to his friends.

Jaune groaned as he palmed his face. "I cannot believe you guys, sorry about this Pyrrha…Pyrrha?" he looked over to the girl before he flinched.

Her cheeks had puffed up and her whole body began to shake as every inch of her skin was now blushing red. Her eyes had dissolved into swirls as it was clear that she was completely embarrassed about having such a private moment interrupted by her friends. This became more apparent as the metal around them began to spark and the others, minus Jaune, all had momentarily flashbacks as they instantly knew what was about to happen next.

"IT WAS YANG AND NORA'S IDEA!" Ruby yelled as she pointed her finger at the two, as Yang and Nora looked betrayed.

"TRAITOR!" both girls yelled and bolted for the hills when they saw Pyrrha coming at them with a piece of metal that ripped itself from Gods know where, while Jaune slowly backed up.

"GET BACK HERE!" Pyrrha yelled, immediately giving chase as she ran after the blond brawler and the Thunderer.

"We're sorry!" They apologised, as Weiss, Blake and Ren sighed as they watched the bizarre scene while Ruby continued to apologise to Jaune. Fenrir pawed his owner's foot hoping to be forgiven, which he was when Jaune petted the wolf's head. However, as all this was going on, Jaune chuckled slightly as he looked at the scene and had only one thought.

' _It's good to be back._ ' He smiled as he was glad things were getting back to normal.

* * *

Unknown

* * *

Dark Blue eyes slowly blinked open as Jaune woke up in a strange place. His eyes slowly readjusting as to light as he looked around. "What the, where am I?" he craned his neck to the side as he was met with an all too familiar mural of horned beings.

"W-What! The temple!? But how?! I thought I-Oh, Gods don't tell me I didn't escape that damn forest, and everything was just a dream! No, wait a minute…" he stopped as he noticed the mural was not degraded but looked almost brand new. It was even painted to depict the two beings in Gold and Purple.

"Something's wrong. This is the temple, but it's all… new?" he touched the wall real. "What's going on?" suddenly he noticed movement as people began to pass him by, oblivious to his existence as they even walked right through him.

"Whoa!" he yelled as they literally walked through him.

"What the, can't they see me?" Many of them were young men and woman, but all dressed up, like Knights and Mages from one of his RPG games. Another thing he noted was that all of them had Adult Dire Wolves by their sides.

"What the hell, is this a dream?" he felt something, he couldn't explain what, but it was behind him and forced him to turn around. When he did, he was met with a Massive White Wolf that towered over him and appeared to be glowing white with pitch-black eyes. "Whoa!" he yelled as the large wolf gazed at him.

"Um…hello?"

The White Wolf just stared at him before it moved to where Jaune knew the hole was. But instead of a hole, there was an archway instead. The Wolf stopping just shy of the doorway as it gestured its head.

"Okay, this is getting weirder by the second." He pointed to the archway. "You want me to follow?" he asked the Wolf nodded and walked into the light. He slowly walked towards the archway as he was let out into the outside.

The light from the sun nearly blinded him before they adjusted, and his eyes widened in awe.

He knew he should be looking at nothing but a Forest, but the entire forest was replaced with houses, markets and bustling people walking to and from. Many of them trying to sell their wares, others acting as guards for the people, while others performed strange feats that Jaune couldn't believe. One of them merely snapped their fingers as a spark of fire erupted and a lantern burst to life.

Another controlled water in the pots as they stirred with a simple flick of their wrist.

He looked over as a bunch of young-looking men and woman were in what could be guessed as a courtyard. From their hands, they cast fireballs, ice shards and all other kinds of magical attacks at training dummies.

"Whoa! Are they using magic!? That is so cool! Man, this is one hell of a dream…but…" he looked down at his hand. "This doesn't feel like a dream, more like…a memory? But I don't remember any of this…" he looked around the place as children laughed and played.

"What the heck is going on?"

Suddenly he heard a scream as he and everyone turned to a bright purple light that shone in the distance. "What the hell!" his eyes widened as the light drew closer and annihilated any living thing in its path. Men, Woman and children screaming as they were absorbed by the light and were annihilated.

The Purple energy speeding rapidly toward Jaune as he tried to run, but found his feet cemented to the ground.

"What the hell?!" flinching in fright as the energy wave rushed towards him. But before it could reach him the Large White Wolf stood before him as its pitch-black eyes stared into his soul and it spoke only one word in a deep and resonating voice…

" _ **Avenge**_ "

The Purple Energy blasting over the wolf as the light rushed towards Jaune who screamed and held his arms up in defences.

"AH!" Jaune yelled as he shot up from his bed. His breathing rapid and sweat glistening off his body as he looked around the room, only to discover he was in one of the guest rooms at his sister's home. Fenrir awoke from his slumber as he looked concerned at his master. Seeing the pup brought him ease as he managed to calm down and breathe fresh air.

"I'm okay Fen, I'm okay. I just…Oh, man…that was one messed up dream." He placed a hand on his face to calm himself.

He removed his hand to see the sweat on his palm as he stared in thought. "But…but why was I dreaming that at all? Was that the Forest, but it didn't look like the Forest I know. Why would I be dreaming of it now, or have I finally lost my mind?" he looked at the scarred moon in the sky as he felt something strange.

He heard a small whine as the wolf pup gave him one of its 'puppy dog eyes', that eased his heart as he patted the growing wolfs head. Its size now larger than Zwei's.

"Thanks, Fen, well whatever it was, it's over…" he laid back down as he immediately went back to sleep, Fenrir falling right behind him.

Unbeknownst to him of the White Wolf that manifested and watched him, before it breathed out a small mist that surged towards the sleeping young man, and a black mark began to form on the upper section of Jaune's spine. The mark slowly taking shape of a Wolf's head in a strange circle of runes, before fading away into his skin. The Wolf itself looked to the young man, then the wolf by his side before fading away.

Fenrir looked up and searched the room, before shrugging and going back to sleep.

* * *

 **And Scene. Well here is Chapter XVII of the Legend of the White Wolf. Sorry for the long wait and I know this is somewhat of a filler chapter, but I wanted to deal with Jaune and Pyrrha's feelings. They aren't dating yet; they aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. But at least now they are both aware and plan to deal with it. I would like to thank Loneonyxwolf and M.H Pinter for helping me with this story.**

 **Anyway. Some people have complained bout me pairing Jaune up. Well to that I say, it's my story you don't like it, don't read it. Free Country. Also as a friendly reminder, I hope everyone is staying safe during these troubling times and hope that we can make it through.**

 **Next Chapter will have new weapons, new gear and a new mission as they prepare to head back to Beacon. But how will Salem proceed now that the invasion has been put on hold? How will Ozpin plan his next move against her now that he has the upper hand? Find out next time in…**

 **Chapter XVIII: Armoured Wolf**


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